Strawberry and basil cheesecake
Chef:
Susan Jane White
Prep:
30 mins
A recipe packed with helpful fats and nourishing minerals to make your face glow!
For the base
1 ½ cups (180g) walnuts
6 Medjool or other sticky dates, stones removed
Touch of sea salt flakes
For the creamy centre
3 ripe avocados, stone and skin removed (240g)
25g packet of fresh basil, leaves only
Juice of 3-4 limes
4-6 tbsp raw honey
3 tbsp unscented coconut oil, melted
For the topping
1 punnet of fresh strawberries
To make the base, blend the walnuts, dates and sea salt in a food processor (not a blender) with a splash of water. When it starts clumping together into a cookie dough ball, you’re good to go. Press into a 20-25cm loaf tin. Bring the dough up the sides like a posh flan, making sure you support the elbow of the base – the part where the base meets the sides. Freeze.
Meanwhile, get going on your ‘cheesecake’ filling. Puree the avocado flesh, basil, the juice of three limes, 4 tbsp of honey, the melted coconut oil and some Frank Sinatra at full speed until savagely smooth. I use my blender for this bit. Taste. If it needs more zing or kick, add another squeeze of lime juice to the mix. If you prefer more sweetness to rock your taste buds, then add an extra bit of honey. Spoon the filling over the frozen base and chill in the fridge for 1 hour. It will last for three days in the fridge like this.
Just before serving, slice a handful of fresh strawberries and scatter them over the top along with any stray basil leaves you find loitering in your kitchen.
Serves
8
Preparation Time
30 minutes
Main ingredients
Fruit, Nuts
Recipe Type
Party Food, Cakes & Baking, Dessert, Healthy, Cheesecake, Vegetarian
Cuisine
American
Special Info
Gluten free, Egg free, Vegetarian, Dairy free
Level of Difficulty
Medium