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Baking, Cakes, Christmas, Dairy Free, Desserts, Easter, Egg Free, GAPS, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Gut Health, Health, Healthy Living, Holidays, Naturally Sweetened, Nuts, Paleo, Raw, Snacks, Thermomix, Vegan, Wholefood
Raw Macadamia Lime ‘Cheesecake’ (dairy free)
One thing I love about living in tropical Far North Queensland is the abundance of delicious produce grown here. I love that I can go to the local markets and buy locally grown coconuts (and coconut oil), locally grown vanilla beans and cacao nibs and cacaco beans, luscious limes, macadamias, avocadoes, pineapples, lychees, passionfruit, mangoes, and I’ve even bought sugar cane juice that’s juiced while you wait! Even better, lots of these yummy things are given to you by friends, family and acquaintances who just have too much and need to share. Love that.
Last week I did a Thermomix demo for a lady who sent me home with a big bag full of limes and bunches of fresh herbs and rocket from her garden. At other times I’ve come home with a box of vine ripened tomatoes, pumpkin, avocadoes, lychees and mangoes. I get given bags of passionfruit, boxes of black sapotes, chokos and lettuces. I always say to my husband, ‘There’s really no way you could starve living here. Why would anyone want to live in the city??’ Besides, where in the city can you walk around the corner from your house and see views like this…
But I digress… back to the cheesecake.
So the other day I thought I should make something with some of the limes filling my fruit basket, and the avocados from mum’s tree. I really wanted something a bit special, as I had a photo shoot with an online magazine on Friday (Confetti Mag – 1st issue, coming out in May, stay tuned!), and I thought something made with local ingredients would be a good thing to photograph. (We ended up choosing something else to make, and we had lots of fun cooking and taking photos! Two of my favourite things to do.)
I remembered a lime and avocado tart I’d made last year and really enjoyed, but I felt it needed to be creamier and less… well… tart! Okay, I know ‘raw lime cheesecakes’ are all over the internet and I didn’t really need to make up another recipe, but I just like to play. I did get some inspiration from this lovely raw lime tart from Fragrant Vanilla Cake (a blog you really should visit if you’re into raw food, vegan food, or just delicious desserts) – but I ended up changing it to make the most of some of our lovely local produce, plus whatever I had on hand.
It turned out amaaaaazing!!
My husband is very partial to a good cheesecake, and was very sceptical that my dairy free version would be something he’d want to eat… But after one bite he changed his tune and begged for more.
I had a lot of ‘drop-ins’ that day, and each one had to taste my cheesecake. I made them. (They didn’t argue.) They all agreed it was a gem of a recipe, and they all told me I should save it for my book. But being the kind and generous blogger that I am, I dedided to go ahead and share it. And besides, I was a bit worried that after getting 235 comments on the photo I posted on Facebook, plus many private messages, asking for the recipe, I might have a riot if I didn’t share!! (But I will have to start being a bit more secretive with new recipes I think, or there won’t be any surprises left for the book!)
Consider this your Easter present from me. I think it would make a great Easter Sunday treat… because as much as I love chocolate, it can get a little ‘overdone’ at Easter time. I’m thinking lime will be a good change.
So here it is, the long-awaited recipe…
Oh, and just a couple of tips: buy the macadamia pieces, they’re heaps cheaper than whole nuts and you don’t need whole nuts for this recipe. And use organic or homegrown limes if possible, as you don’t really want to be eating the zest from limes sprayed with pesticides. Just my opinion.
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Base
Raw Macadamia Lime ‘Cheesecake’
Ingredients
Base
130g raw macadamia nuts (either un-soaked or soaked and dehydrated)
70g organic shredded or flaked coconut (additive-free)
8 fresh dates (eg. Medjool), pitted
a pinch of fine sea salt
Filling
2 vanilla beans, snipped into 4 pieces (can use 1 bean in a pinch)
zest from 2 limes (just peel off with a sharp potato peeler)
150g raw cashews*
flesh of 1 lime
320g fresh avocados (or frozen, cut into 1-2cm cubes)
100g pure maple syrup
55g coconut oil
a pinch of fine sea salt
Topping
150g raw macadamias (soaked for a few hours, then drained and dried off a bit)
150g Ayam coconut cream (or other thick coconut cream)
1 tsp vanilla powder
juice of 1 lime
30g pure maple syrup
Decoration
A good-sized handful of macadamia nuts, roughly chopped (if you haven’t bought them already in pieces)
- zest of one lime, grated with a zester
Instructions
1. Grind all the base ingredients up together in the Thermomix on speed 9 for 20 seconds, or until finely ground.
2. Grease the inside of a 20cm springform cake tin with coconut oil. Press the base mixture firmly into the base of the tin, and up the sides if you like. Set aside.
Filling
1. Blitz vanilla beans and lime zest on speed 10 for 10 seconds.
2. Add cashews and grind on speed 10 for 8 seconds.
3. Add remaining ingredients and blend on speed 9 for 1 minute, scraping down as needed, until lovely and smooth.
4. Pour filling into springform tin, spreading over the base. Place in the freezer for at least half an hour.
Topping
1. Mix together all ingredients for the topping until smooth on speed 9.
2. Pour over the filling and smooth with a spatula.
Decoration
1. While the topping is still soft, before freezing, add extra macadamia nuts and lime zest for decoration, sprinkling first the nuts, then the zest, around the edge of the cheesecake. (See photos)
2. Place the finished cheesecake, covered with a plastic bag, in the freezer and leave it alone for at least 2 hours, preferably more. It’s best eaten semi-frozen.
Notes
If using soaked raw cashews, only soak for up to 6 hours, drain well and pat dry with a tea towel, then mix with the other ingredients (lime, avocado, etc.) all at once, blending until smooth.
Love this one Jo, looks impressive but seems so easy to make… Definitely added to my cooking / baking list this weekend. Thanks.
You’re very welcome Carmen! 🙂
How long will this keep in the freezer?
For a few months.
Wow, this looks delicious! I would love to make this, but my son cannot eat cashews, due to an allergy. The only tree nuts he can eat are macadamia, almond, pine nuts and brazil nuts. Which one of these would make the best substitute for the cashews please? A combination of almond and macadamia??
PS – I made your Best Ever Butter Chicken today, and it was amazing.
Thank you x
I would use macadamias! Blanched almonds would be fine too. So glad you liked the butter chicken!! x
I’ve been using brazil nuts instead of cashews in raw cakes lately and they go even creamier than macadamias.
Yum! What a gorgeous recipe. I would love to try this for Christmas but I don’t have a Thermomix. So could I use a food processor and generally follow the same pattern? Thank you
Yes for sure!
Hi Jo
I made the macadamia and lime cheesecake for Christmas. My filling turned out too tart. I am going to deconstruct the cake and try adding something to filling to save it. Was thinking of adding lemon juice. What do you think? Thank you
I would add some more honey or maple syrup – if you add more lemon juice it will be even more tart!
Hi Jo, about to make this but only have 280g of macadamias all up. Can I substitute the base with cashews or should I just skip the garnish? Thanks!
You can use cashews in the base! Any nuts really. 🙂
Hi Jo, wondering if I could somehow do this nut free? I’m wanting to make it and freeze it in portions for school lunch boxes.
Thank you!
Yes, you could use sunflower seeds instead of the nuts. 🙂
Hi Jo
I can’t eat nuts, can you suggest something i could use to substitute them.
Thanks
Yes, you can use sunflower seeds or coconut cream instead of the nuts and water.
Hi just wondering if this is gluten free. I’m going to make it for a dinner part . Tia
Claire
Sure is! 🙂
Hi Jo, I am about to make this. Could I substitute vanilla bean paste for the vanilla beans?
Yes, for sure!
Have you made this just with lemons instead of the limes?
No, but give it a try and let us know what you think. 🙂
Hi Jo, I made this amazing cheesecake a couple weeks ago it is divine. Can I make it & leave in freezer until I need it (5 days?)
Hi Miranda! Sorry for the delayed reply!! Yes, you can certainly make it ahead of time and keep it in the freezer. xx
Honey instead of maple syrup? Would it be the same amount? Would honey make it sweeter?
Thanks! X
I use the same amount, but just add a little less and taste it and see what you think!
Hi, when you refer to vanilla beans do you mean blend the whole 2 vanilla beans ??? Thx!
Hi Mandy! Yes, that is correct. 🙂
Could I swap the avocado for mango? Would I then leave out the maple syrup? I have lots of ripe mangoes to use up and avocados are still so expensive here!
I think so, taste it without the maple syrup and see if you think you need to add any. It would probably need to be served a bit frozen as mangoes won’t be as firm as avo.
Do you know how much vanilla powder I would use instead of 2 beans please?
Hi Nicola! 🙂 I would use about 1 tsp vanilla powder. xx
Hi Jo, for the avocados is it 320g of the flesh or 320g before they are cut, skinned and deseeded?
Hi Emma! 🙂 320g is the weight of the flesh, skinned and deseeded.
Hi Jo what can i sub for the dates please?
The dates in the base of this dessert are there for both sweetness and stickiness (to hold the base together!). Other dried fruits such as raisins or figs will work as well but if these aren’t on the menu for you I would recommend trying some honey or coconut sugar and coconut oil to achieve the same effect (quantities will take a bit of experimentation).
Hi what is the nutrition please?
Thanks
Dear Kim. Apologies but we do not have nutritional value for this recipe. We are very sorry.
Oh my the flavours ???? drool worthy, looking forward to this tomorrow- I almost stuck my head in the thermometer to lick the bowl.
So good to hear Jane! This is definitely a favourite in our house!