Chocolate Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake Slices

Raw cheesecakes are still a fairly new sweet treat creation for me, after discovering how easy and creamy they are with the right kitchen equipment. In fact, in 3 months I’ve created several cheesecake recipes and this Chocolate Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake joins my previous Salted Almond Chocolate Cheesecake and my Lemon and Pistachio Raw Cheesecake, both of which are delicious. They are now my go-to recipes when I want to create something fun and exciting, especially when celebrations are in order!

These Chocolate Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake Slices celebrate love, friendship and the best of plant-based desserts in my opinion. I developed this recipe using a few coconut-ty treats from Ape Snacks for Valentines Days as we wanted to make something that said ‘I love you’ with every bite and now am so happy to dedicate these to all the mothers out there this Mother’s Day 2019.

Make these for friends, loved ones or family members and you’re bound to be in their good books for a long time. And what I love the most is how I can treat my family to delicious un-baked and indulgent desserts while still looking after their health. All the ingredients in my Chocolate Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake Slices are natural, free from refined sugar, gluten and dairy (of course!). They are naturally vegan, high in protein, fibre and healthy fats. 

What I also love about raw baking is that there is no baking required so you can test out different flavours without messing  around too much with a base recipe. It definitely took a few experiments to get the creaminess just right while also making sure the layers hold their form, but after that you can get as experimental as you like.

There are three separate steps involved in creating these Chocolate Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake Slices but once you’ve made a couple of raw treats, soaking nuts and dates becomes second nature. My top tips are to make sure you read the recipe through in full before starting as the cashews require at least 8 hours of soaking time beforehand. You build up the recipe in stages so as one layer rests, you can make the next one, and so on.

The greatest satisfaction is slicing into the large cheesecake and seeing those brilliant layers shining through: chocolatey rich coconut base, a creamy vanilla cashew cheesecake filling and a zesty fresh raspberry chia seed jam. 

These Chocolate Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake Slices are fruity and vibrant, zesty and creamy, indulgent and decadent yet healthy and light. I dare you to not go back for seconds.

Chocolate Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake

• Servings: 8-12
• Time: 30 minutes plus overnight soaking and cooling
• Difficulty: medium
• Print

Refreshing and beautifully coloured cheesecake slices with a crunchy cacao and coconut base, a creamy vanilla cheesecake later and a fruity raspberry topping. The perfect spring raw treat that is healthy, vegan and gluten free.

Ingredients

• Base:
• 150g dates, soaked in boiling water
• 156g (6 packets) crunchy chocolate coconut bites (or desiccated coconut plus 1 tbsp cacao)
• Cheesecake:
• 200g cashew nuts, soaked for 8 hours
• 40g coconut oil, melted
• 70g maple syrup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120ml milk (e.g. oat or soya)
• Raspberry layer:
• 200g fresh raspberries
• 25g chia seeds
• 35g maple syrup
• Topping:
• 20g salted choc coconut curls

Directions

1. Soak the cashews the night before by covering them in filtered water and with a lid and rest at room temperature (or for at least 8 hours). Discard the water and rinse the nuts under cool water.
2. Soak the dates in boiling water for 10 minutes and then drain, reserving the water. Line a dish or container with baking parchment (my container is 19 x 12 cm).*
3. Make the raspberry layer: mash the raspberries with a fork, add the chia seeds and syrup and stir to combine. Leave to rest and thicken.
4. Make the chocolate coconut base: blitz the crunchy chocolate coconut bites in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Pour into a bowl and add the dates to the blender and process until sticky and jammy. You may need to scrape down the sides. Add the crumb mixture to the dates with up to 2 tbsp of date water and pulse until a sticky dough forms. Press down firmly into the lined dish or container and flatten with a spatula to ensure the base is even and compact.
5. Make the cheesecake layer by adding the drained cashews, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract and milk to a clean food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as necessary. Pour over the base layer, cover and place in the freezer for 1 hour to set.
6. Pour the raspberry jam over the set base, cover again and return to the freezer to set for another 2-4 hours.
7. When ready to serve, allow to thaw for 20 minutes and top with salted chocolate coconut curls. Cut into 8-12 squares. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 1 month.

*any container around this size will work, I’d suggest this as a minimum size.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on my Chocolate Coconut Raspberry Cheesecake Slices when you make them! Be sure to tag me in your creations – I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With lots of love x

This recipe was created in partnership with Ape Snacks, although all opinions are my own and I love their coconut snacks!