It’s no secret anymore that our food system is contributing to climate change, more than a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in fact. An article earlier this month in the Atlantic “Your Diet is Cooking the Planet. But two simple changes can help”, names eating less meat and dairy and reducing food waste as by far the most impactful ways that individuals can make a difference.
One of the hardest things about changing the way you eat, for environmental or other reasons, is that sense you’ll have to give up the foods you love. Cheesecake is a perfect example. How could you possibly reproduce the luxurious creaminess of this iconic dessert (that dates back to ancient Greece) without using some sort of cheese? (The giveaway is in the name after all!) The answer, happily is quite easily, and with fantastically satisfying results. This recipe was inspired by a dairy-free cheesecake created by chef and cookbook author Emma Galloway of My Darling Lemon-Thyme, who uses coconut oil to set a cashew cream base. Our version combines of cashews, almonds and coconut milk as the base for the cream filling, set on a light oat and almond crust. Lemon juice serves as a bright replacement for the lactic tang of cream cheese, with the zest giving an extra hit of citrus fragrance.
A few notes on ingredients and process:
Ground almonds (almond flour) can be used instead of whole soaked almonds, if that’s what you have on hand or if time is limited.
When sourcing coconut products, make sure to look out for a brand that uses sustainably farmed coconuts, that are not grown on deforested land.
When blending the filling, for a smoother consistency, we recommend using a blender rather than a food processor.
Berry, Rose and Lemon "Cheesecake"
Serves 8 | Equipment : A food processor, an 8-inch (20 cm) springform baking pan, lined with parchment paper; a blender
Ingredients
Base
3/4 cup (105 g) whole or ground almonds
1 cup (100 g) wholegrain (not instant) rolled oats
1/4 cup (30 g) coconut sugar
6 tablespoons (90 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Filling
1 cup (145 g) raw whole almonds (soaked overnight, see notes below)
1 3/4 cup (250g) raw cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours, overnight if possible, see notes below)
1/2 cup (125 ml) coconut milk
Zest and juice of 2 large organic lemons (about ½ cup; 125 ml)
10 tablespoons (150 ml) maple syrup
200 ml expeller-pressed coconut oil (melted)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Topping
2 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about the juice of 1 orange)
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
1/4 teaspoon rose water
Method
1. Centre a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Place the almonds in the bowl of the food processor and process until they look like fine breadcrumbs. Add the oats, coconut sugar and salt and process again until well combined and the crumb is even in size. Add the extra virgin olive oil and process again until the mixture begins to come together. Turn the mixture out into the prepared baking tin, pressing down on the mixture with the back of a spoon to create a tightly packed, even base. Bake in the oven until beginning to turn golden, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. While the base is cooking, prepare the filling. Drain and rinse the nuts. Pop the almonds out of their skins and rinse again (or place directly in the blender if using ground almonds). Place the nuts into the blender with the remaining filling ingredients and process until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute (depending on the power of your blender motor).
4. Pour the filling onto the cooled base, evening out the surface with a spatula. Tap the baking pan several times on the countertop to remove any air bubbles, and place in the refrigerator to set for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
5. To make the topping, place the berries and orange juice in a small pan over low heat and simmer gently until warmed though. In a small bowl, mix the arrowroot with 1 tablespoon water and stir to blend. Add the arrowroot to the berry mixture and swirl the pan in a circular motion or stir gently to incorporate, being careful to keep the berries intact. Allow to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the rose water. Stir carefully to combine. Set aside to cool.
6. To assemble, remove the set cheesecake from the springform pan, carefully removing the parchment paper also. Place on a large plate or serving platter. Top with the berry sauce, allowing the liquid to dribble down the side of the cheesecake for dramatic effect. Serve immediately.
Additional notes
Soaking the nuts overnight will soften them up so they can be blended into a smooth consistency. Soak in a generous amount of water, covered by at least a couple of inches above the nuts, with a teaspoon of salt. Soaking and adding salt will help to break down the hard to digest enzymes in nuts, making them more digestible and the nutrients more bio available. If you don’t have time to soak the nuts, simmer them in water for 30 minutes.
Arrowroot is a tuber native to tropical climates, high in fiber and nutrients, that is most often dried and processed into a fine powder. It behaves much like cornstarch or corn flour but has a much more interesting nutritional profile, is known to have anti-inflammatory properties and be beneficial to gut health. If you can’t find arrowroot, corn flour will do as a substitute.
This is a Nourish the Planet recipe, part of a collaborative series by Patricia Wells and Emily Buchanan.
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Find our more here about why we created this series.