Chocolate Mint Cheesecake (raw, vegan & grain-free)

This Chocolate Mint Cheesecake has been on my list since last Summer and because we are having the first heatwave in London this week I thought it’s the perfect time for a refreshing minty dessert.

I’ve never been too much of a fan of minty chocolate but this cheesecake is something completely different – the flavours, the textures; everything comes together in such a delightful way.

It’s a raw based vegan grain-free cheesecake, simple to make and oh so lovely.

I’ve recently planted mint on my windowsill which is going wild as expected and so I’ve used a generous amount in the mint layer and I love it!

The chocolate layer is super simple with cashews, cacao powder, almond milk, maple syrup and melted cacao butter. You can set both layers with either cacao butter or coconut oil. Don’t worry if you don’t have cacao butter just use coconut oil instead. They are both lovely.

I fancied brazil nuts in the crust layer but you can use a different type of nuts if you like. Plus I’ve also added some pumpkin seeds and few hemp seeds for variety, flavour and health properties. Feel free to customize the crust to your needs.

The two chocolate layers are adapted from my Rose Cardamom Chocolate Cheesecake which I adore.

Another thing to note I’ve added some peppermint essential oil which you need only very little and I’ve used 3 drops in the recipe. You could also use peppermint oil or extract to enhance the mint layer, but it’s optional. You will already have a lovely flavour coming from the fresh mint.

I’ve been having a slice of the cheesecake with nettle and fresh mint tea and it’s such wonderful summer treat. I have to say I’m very happy to have plenty left in my freezer when I fancy some :) Hope you love it!

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Yield: 8 or 16 bars

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake (raw, vegan & grain-free)

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Ingredients

Crust layer:

• 120g brazil nuts (1 cup)
• 70g pumpkin seeds (1/2 cup)
• 2tbsp shelled hemp seeds (optional)
• 2tbsp raw cacao powder
• pinch sea salt
• 7 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1tsp coconut oil

Chocolate layer:

• 120g cashews, soaked for 4 hours or overnight (1 cup)
• 2tbsp maple syrup
• 120ml almond milk (1/2 cup)
• 30g raw cacao powder (1/4 cup)
• 60ml melted cacao butter (1/4 cup)

Mint layer:

• 120g cashews, soaked for 4 hours or overnight (1 cup)
• 2 to 4tbsp maple syrup to taste
• 20g fresh mint leaves (1 cup)
• juice of ½ lemon
• 3 drops food grade peppermint essential oil (optional)
• 60ml almond milk (1/4 cup)
• 60ml melted cacao butter or coconut oil (1/4 cup)

Instructions

1. Prepare 7" square cake tin with removable base.
2. Place brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds into a food processor and pulse few times until ground. Add hemp seeds, cacao, salt and pitted dates and blend until the mixture comes together. Add coconut oil and blend again. You should have a sticky mix when pressed together.
3. Spoon the crust mix into the tin, spread evenly onto the base and press tightly down. Place into a fridge.
4. Chocolate layer:
5. Rinse the soaked cashews under running water and place into high speed blender. Add maple syrup and almond milk and blend until smooth. Add cacao and melted cacao butter and blend until incorporated.
6. Spoon the mixture onto the crust layer and smooth out the top. Cover the cake with a layer of baking paper and cling film on top to prevent frostbite and place into a freezer until set enough for the next layer. It should be set enough by the time you finish blending the mint layer.
7. Mint layer:
8. Rinse the soaked cashews under running water and place into high speed blender. Add maple syrup, mint, lemon juice, peppermint oil and almond milk and blend until smooth. Add melted cacao butter or coconut oil and blend until incorporated.
9. Spoon the mixture onto the chocolate layer and smooth out the top. Cover the cake with a layer of baking paper and cling film on top to prevent frostbite and place into a freezer for few hours or overnight until set.
10. Once set carefully remove from the tin and with a sharp knife cut into 8 bars.
11. Leave to thaw before serving.
12. Store in a fridge or freezer.

Notes

You can replace the brazil nuts with almonds or use a mix of the two.
You can replace the peppermint essential oil with peppermint oil or extract.
The mint creates light green colour, if you like more vibrancy and you have green superfood powder you can add little to the mix.

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