08 Feb Irresistible Avocado Cheesecake Recipe

Free from refined sugar, flour, vegetable oils and dairy, this incredibly creamy and indulgent cheesecake will leave you wondering how anything this tasty can be so nutritious.

A blend of toasted pecan nuts, cacao nibs and coconut forms a wonderfully nutty, chocolaty base that’s good enough to eat on its own, while the whipped lime-flavoured filling is sweetened with dates, honey and stevia to create a zesty, decadent mousse.

Try making these into little squares to serve as individual desserts, or spoon the avocado lime mixture into small glasses, crumble over the base mixture and drizzle with a little melted 85% dark chocolate for a ‘deconstructed’ take on the traditional cheesecake.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 12

FOR THE BASE

• 125g pecan nuts
• 45g desiccated coconut 
• 70g cacao nibs
• 185g pitted dates
• 3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted and at room temperature

FOR THE FILLING

• 560g avocado flesh (from about 5 avocados)
• 200ml lime juice (8–10 limes)
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 190g raw honey
• 175ml coconut oil, melted and at room temperature
• A few drops of stevia to sweeten (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Line the base and sides of a springform or loose-bottomed 18cm round cake tin with baking paper.
2. Toast pecan nuts and desiccated coconut on a lined baking tray and place in oven for 7–8 minutes until golden. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn.
3. Transfer to a food processor and add dates, cacao nibs and coconut oil. Blend until mixture is crumbly and holds together when pinched – don’t let it go completely smooth.
4. Tip base mixture into prepared tin. Press down firmly with the back of a spoon, ensuring it is neat and flat where it meets the sides of tin. Transfer to fridge while you prepare the filling.
5. Place all the filling ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and silky. Check for taste and add more lime juice, zest or stevia according to preference (it’s best to keep it deliciously tangy).
6. Remove cake tin from fridge and pour filling over the base. Cover the tin with a plate and return to the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight, if possible, to set.
7. To serve, run a knife around the inner edge of the tin and carefully push the base up from the bottom. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.

Adapted from The Coveteur, with thanks to Hemsley & Hemsley