Lemon, Berry & Macadamia Raw Cheescake

If you are in the habit of not including much sugar in your diet, you are still human and sometimes desire those sweet treats.  Although there's a bit of effort involved in making this one, having it on stand-by in the freezer can save you in those moments, and curb the cravings naturally. It also makes a refreshing dessert to take along to a bbq or dinner to share with friends.

The sweetener in this dessert is pure Canadian maple syrup.  Not the sugary flavoured syrup, but real, pure maple syrup.  Did you know that this syrup in its pure form, is from the sap of the maple tree?  Great for the heart and boosting the immune system too. Very cool!  It is still a sweetener, so moderation is required.

Ingredients:

Base:                                                             Lemon filling:

1 cup almonds                                                1 cup macadamias

12 medjool dates (pitted)                                ¼ cup melted coconut oil

½ cup shredded coconut                                  2 tbsp. pure maple syrup              

¼ tsp vanilla extract                                       ½ tsp vanilla extract

pinch Himalayan salt                                       ½ cup fresh lemon juice

                                                                  

Berry Filling:

1 cup macadamias

¼ cup melted coconut oil

2 tbsp. pure maple syrup

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 cup mixed berries (frozen)

Method:

Base:

Blend almonds, dates, vanilla, salt and coconut in a processor until well combined.  Sprinkle the bottom of a spring-form pan with a little extra coconut or line with baking paper and firmly press the mixture into the base.  Place into the fridge or freezer while you make the filling.

Filling:

Start with the lemon filling.  Add all ingredients for the lemon filling into the processor and blend until smooth and creamy.  Pour this into the base, evening out with the back of a spoon and pop back in the freezer.

Next add all the ingredients for the berry filling into the processor, blending until well combined.  Carefully spoon this layer on top of the lemon layer and place back in the freezer to set.  This may take a few hours.

Pull it out of the freezer for a short while close to serving, so it's not too hard to slice or eat.  If you're making it to have there on stand-by, after it has set, slice it and popped it back in the freezer with a piece of foil over the top, as well as being in an airtight container, to prevent any freezer burn.

Garnish the top with some fresh berries or crushed macadamias.  In the past, as with most raw desserts, I may have even eaten this one for breakfast ;).  Totally acceptable right!

Enjoy ☺ Shaz