This three-layer cheesecake alternates two layers scented with fresh mint and a central chocolate one, on a crunchy base of almonds and cacao nibs. A classic, effective pairing, designed to say goodbye to summer with a little elegance. The creamy macadamia and coconut topping rounds the whole thing off.
Raw fresh mint and chocolate cheesecake, three layers
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Ingredients
Base
- 1.75 cups raw almonds
- 1/2 cup raw cacao nibs
- 1 to 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Mint filling (1st and 3rd layers)
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight
- 1/4 cup mint syrup (1 cup agave syrup blended with 2 cups fresh mint leaves)
- 1 handful of fresh mint leaves
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup coconut butter
Chocolate filling (2nd layer)
- the same preparation as above, without the mint or the mint syrup, with 3/4 cup raw cacao powder instead
Topping
- 1 cup macadamia nuts
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 3/4 cup young Thai coconut flesh
- 2 tbsp light agave syrup
- 2 tbsp raw honey
- 3/4 cup coconut oil
Preparation
- For the base, blend all the ingredients in a food processor until crumbly and sticky.
- Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 20 cm springform tin.
- For the first mint filling, blend all the mint filling ingredients, except the coconut butter, until smooth.
- Add the coconut butter and mix well.
- Pour over the base, smoothing it with damp fingers if needed.
- For the chocolate layer, repeat the same preparation leaving out the mint and mint syrup and adding the cacao powder, then pour it over the first layer.
- Repeat the mint filling for the third layer and pour it on top.
- Chill the cheesecake overnight, then unmould it carefully.
- For the topping, blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until perfectly smooth, then chill until thickened.
- Spread the topping over the top and sides of the cake, decorate with fresh mint leaves and seasonal fruit. Keep in the fridge.
Tip
Allow a good night's rest in the fridge before unmoulding: that is what lets the three layers hold together when you cut them.
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FAQ: your questions about raw mint chocolate cheesecake
What are cacao nibs?
They are cocoa beans broken into small pieces, once the husk has been removed. It is the stage just before the grinding that produces cocoa mass: nothing has been sweetened or blended yet. Nibs are therefore pure cacao, crunchy, very bitter and slightly acidic, with notes that vary with the origin of the beans. In raw cuisine they are used much as you would chocolate chips, but without the sugar: in a tart base, on a dessert, in granola.
What are the benefits of cacao nibs?
In terms of composition, they are a dense food: rich in fibre, they provide magnesium and iron, and contain flavanols, a much-studied family of polyphenols. They also hold theobromine, a molecule related to caffeine, which explains their mildly stimulating effect, gentler and longer-lasting than coffee. Let us stay on culinary ground: what we ask of them above all is crunch and a frank bitterness to balance a sweet dessert, exactly as in the base of this cheesecake.
What is the difference between a baked and a no-bake cheesecake?
It all comes down to what sets the mixture. A baked cheesecake relies on eggs and cream cheese coagulating in the heat, which gives it that dense, slightly springy New York texture. A no-bake cheesecake sets in the cold, thanks to a fat that firms up, gelatine in classic versions, coconut oil and butter here: the texture is softer, closer to a firm mousse. The raw version does, however, demand that you respect the chilling time, a full night, or the layers collapse when you cut them.
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