Home Food & Nutrition Recipes Raw Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis

Raw Lemon Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis

Indulge in the dreamy, creamy decadence of this lemon dessert

Prep Time – 30 minutes
Chilling Time – 1 hour
Serves 12

Does it count as dessert if it is good for you? Don’t waste too much time pondering this philosophical question and just savour this incredibly tasty and healthy play on a vegan cheesecake. That’s right, no dairy and low carb and little sugar. It’s even raw. Yet it’s still rich, indulgent and a little intense — just like any good cheesecake should be.

The biggest difference between an authentic cheesecake and this raw version is the time required. Real cheesecake takes hours. This one comes together much faster, though it still requires some planning. After assembly, the cake needs to chill for an hour to firm up. But the hands-on part takes less than 20 minutes, including making the raspberry coulis topping. That’s time well spent for this delectable investment.

INGREDIENTS

Crust

2 cups almond meal
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 Tbsp. cold water
1 Tbsp. maple syrup

Filling

2 cups raw cashews
¾ cup cold water
¼ cup white chocolate chips
4 lemon slices from Lemon Preserve
¼ cup and 1 Tbsp. xylitol or sugar
1 tsp. guar gum or corn starch
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt

Raspberry Coulis

2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. lemon juice (about one lemon)
2 tsp. guar gum or corn starch

DIRECTIONS

1. Start by preparing the cashews. In a bowl or measuring cup, combine cashews, water and salt. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.

2. For the crust, combine all the dry crust ingredients in a big bowl and add the water and oil. Mix with your hands until you can make the dough into a big ball. If it is too dry, add more water, a half teaspoon at a time.

3. In a 9-inch diameter cheesecake pan, or similar sized cake pan, add the crust mixture and smooth it flat with your hands until it covers the bottom of the pan.

4. Place white chocolate chips in a microwave safe dish. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir and add 15 more seconds until it turns to liquid.

5. To a food processor or blender, pour in the soaked cashews and water. Blend on high, mashing and scraping as needed. You’re aiming for a smooth and creamy texture that just barely pours. If it’s too thick, add extra water, one teaspoon at a time. If it’s too runny, add a tablespoon of cashew pieces and blend again.

6. To the blender, add the Lemon Preserve, melted white chocolate chips, sugar, vanilla and salt. Continue blending with the cashews until well combined and creamy.

7. Pour the lemon-cashew filling into the crust. Use a spatula to smooth it out.

8. Place the cheesecake in the freezer for an hour to allow it to set.

9. Start the coulis. After cleaning the blender, add all the raspberry coulis ingredients. Blend on high until smooth.

10. Transfer the coulis to a microwave safe dish. Heat in a microwave for 30 seconds to activate the guar gum (or corn starch). Stir well. Return to the microwave for another 30 seconds.

11. Refrigerate the coulis.

12. 15 minutes before serving, remove the cheesecake from the freezer and the coulis from the fridge to let them warm and soften.

13. Use the coulis like an icing and smother over the whole surface or just pour over individual pieces.

NOTE:

If you don’t have Lemon Preserve Base or just want an alternative flavour, sub in ½ cup of juice and the 2 Tbsp. of zest from any citrus fruit. Our second favourite is lime.

Nutrition facts per serving
Calories 186; protein 3 g; fat 11g; carbs 21g.