PEANUT BUTTER, CHOCOLATE AND BANANA CHEESECAKE
I haven’t made a raw cheesecake in months. I know, right! I don’t know what the matter is either. Maybe it’s that my taste buds are changing… I’ve recently had a bit of an aversion to all things savoury (chargrilled broccoli anyone?), or maybe it’s the cold weather, raw cheesecake doesn’t exactly scream warm and snuggly does it?
Having said that, I’m craving a little indulgence after dinner at the moment. I thought about buying something; two weeks ago I tried Almond Dream’s salted caramel ice cream, but it was a bit too sweet for me. And normally that would be totally fine, but I currently have a very bare cupboard and don't fancy the hour round trip to our supermarket (#villagelife).
Thankfully I have a secret weapon for times like this: the world's easiest raw vegan cheesecake. .
The thing about this recipe is that it uses few and simple ingredients (I've even noted other ways to make the recipe more simple in the ingredients if needed). Last summer I was able to make the cheesecake on our family holiday. This is really saying something because 1. There was a very limited and tiny supermarket 2. There was no blender*. Plus, my sister even claimed this recipe was her favourite a few weeks ago! So its a win win.
So try it and see! I hope you love it too!
*N.B. this recipe requires 2 frozen bananas so peel, chop, and pop some into the freezer for at least 5 hours now! However if you are doing this without a blender DO NOT freeze the bananas – this will make them impossible to mash!
Ingredients:
Base:
1/3 cup desiccated coconut (option: sub with more oats)
2/3 cup oats
3 tbsp maple syrup (option: sub with honey)
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 tbsp cacao powder (option: sub with regular cocoa powder – just use slightly more)
1 tsp coconut oil
Splash of almond milk (option: sub with water)
Centre:
2 bananas (*chopped and frozen overnight)
½ cup peanut butter (option: other nut butter/ tahini)
2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
4 tsp maple syrup (option: sib with honey)
1 tbsp cacao powder (option: sub with regular cocoa powder – just use slightly more)
Method:
Line a loaf tin with Clingfilm
To create the base of the cheesecake place all the base ingredients into a blender and pulse for a few minutes to combine, adding a splash more almond milk if needed (*if you don’t have a blender melt the coconut oil and then mix all in a big bowl).
Empty the mixture into the tin and press down evenly to form the base. Set aside.
Give the blender/ bowl a quick rinse.
Now onto the filling… Add the banana, peanut butter, 1 tsp vanilla and 2 tsps maple to the blender and blend well. (* If doing this by hand mash the bananas really well before mixing with the other ingredients listed in this step).
Once smooth pour half of the mixture on top of the base and level out with the back of a spoon.
Now add the cacao and final tsps. of maple and vanilla extract to the remaining mixture in the blender (or bowl) and mix again until well combined.
Pour this on top of the first layer – again smoothing out evenly with the back of a spoon.
Put in the freezer to set – this will take a minimum of 3 hours.
Once set all the way through cut into slices and decorate as you wish (I like a swirl of melted dark chocolate and peanut butter).
Either serve immediately or save in the freezer – the slices will last couple of weeks in there. Just give them 10 minutes to defrost before you eat them!
