Lemon & Coconut Cheesecake

RAW . VEGAN . GLUTEN FREE

This is the creamiest and most luscious dairy-free cheesecake I've ever made. Why not make it for your Easter celebrations!

Photo Credit: Phil Baines Photography

I made this cheesecake for my lovely mom for Mother's Day last Sunday and decorated it with hulled hemp seeds, dried cornflowers and fresh edible violas to make it pretty. I think the colours are beautiful for spring and turn it into a real occasion cake to present at the table!

For Easter you could decorate this with any seasonal edible flowers that are available to you, such as nasturtium, violas, daisies. If you can get them organically grown at a farmer's market that's perfect!

If you want to know more about edible flowers, check out this post on Garden Organic that has a list of beautiful blooms you can eat.

You can also use dried edible flowers, like these cornflowers, which are gorgeous and very easy to find online.

Photo credit: Phil Baines Photography

I rarely make a base for my cheesecakes because they're already very dense with nuts and so luscious, rich and filling that even more nuts seem unnecessary! I credit that idea to Tanya Maher of Better Raw.

I suggest you make this cheesecake at least one day before you want to eat it as it will take several hours to set firm enough to slice.

Please note: Coconut milk must be full fat, and the type from a can. Shake the can, if it sounds runny place it in the fridge for about 24 hours to set the cream. I suggest you keep it in the fridge anyway until you're ready to use it. If you want to make this a lower fat cheesecake, you can replace the canned milk with a carton of coconut milk as per measure below. It's just as delicious, but not as luscious and creamy.

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups raw unsalted Cashews (soaked 2 hours in water, drained)

1 can full fat Coconut Milk (as instructions above) or 1/2 - 3/4 cup Coconut Milk from a carton

3/4 cup Maple Syrup

3/4 cup melted Coconut Oil

Juice of 2 Lemons

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Pinch fine Sea Salt / or Himalayan Pink

Garnish Suggestions: Hulled hemp seeds, Coconut Shavings, Desiccated Coconut, Edible flowers, grated Lemon Zest (from unwaxed lemons)

METHOD

1. Spoon the set cream out of the can of Coconut milk (keeping to one side any water that's left in the can) and add this to a high speed blender with the liquid ingredients first - maple syrup, lemon juice, coconut oil, vanilla and salt.

If using coconut milk from the carton, use the lower amount to begin with.

2. Then add the cashews and blend on full speed until silky smooth and creamy. Use the tamper stick to help it blend if you have a Vitamix style blender, or stop the blender and use a spatula to scrape the sides down.

If you don't have a very powerful blender, try adding the nuts a little at a time.

The texture should be thick and creamy, but if it's too thick for your blender to handle, add a little of the coconut water from the can, or more milk from the carton, to help it blend.

You can also periodically use a spatula to scrap the sides down if things are sticking.

2. Once smooth, pour the mixture into a round springform cake tin, no wider than 8". Tap the tin on the counter top several times to remove air bubbles.

3. Cover and place in the freezer for about 4-6 hours, or until set firm. You can then transfer to the fridge, or leave it in the freezer until a couple of hours before you need to cut it. Or simply place the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

4. Decorate before serving.

NOTES

This cheesecake will keep fresh in the fridge for 4 days. Up to one month in the freezer.

A great tip for slicing is to put it back in the freezer for about 30-60 minutes or so before decorating and serving, this will give you a really nice clean slice!