Ingredients
Base
- 1 cup each of unsalted walnuts and Brazil nuts, soaked in filtered water overnight
- 4 dates, soaked in 1½ cups filtered water for a few hours
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Filling
- 3 cups cashew nuts, soaked in filtered water overnight, then drained
- 150 ml maple syrup
- 1 tbsp psyllium husks
- 1 tbsp lecithin granules (non GM)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped
- Grated zest of 2 lemons
- Pinch of sea salt
- 150 ml coconut oil
Mango coulis
- 2 cups mango flesh, blended
Maple nut ‘cheese’ cake
This is my favourite dessert at the moment and I wonder if I will ever tire of it. The soaking liquid from the nuts is full of nutrients so don’t throw it away. Either drink it yourself or give your plants a little drink.
Method
For the base, drain the nuts and dates, reserving the soaking liquid from the dates.
Combine the nuts, dates and nutmeg in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Press into the base of a 23-cm springform cake tin. Chill for at least 10 minutes while you are preparing the filling.
For the filling, place the soaking liquid from the dates in a blender or food processor, add the other ingredients and blend until smooth.
Pour over the base.
Chill until set, about an hour or so but better overnight.
Serve the cake with the mango coulis.
Submitted byJanella Purcell
Tips and Tricks
Coulis is a great way to use up ripe or even over-ripe mangoes. Store mangoes in the fridge once they’re fully ripe – though not before, or they won’t ripen – and you can help them ripen faster by storing in a paper bag. Coulis can be frozen and used in desserts, smoothies or on muesli.
If you don’t have all nuts to hand, experiment with what you do. Try almonds, pecans or macadamias in the base or the flling and taste as you go.
