Raw avocado and vanilla cheesecakes

Avocado steps in here for the soaked cashews or cream cheese most raw cheesecakes rely on, and it blends into a filling that is noticeably lighter and milder, with vanilla doing the work rather than the base itself. Melted coconut butter and coconut oil firm the cream as it chills, so it sets into something sliceable, where an avocado mousse alone would stay loose. The crust leans on blanched almonds and shredded coconut rather than a heavier nut base, bound with two small dates and a touch of coconut oil. Pairing a real vanilla pod - or a few drops of concentrated extract - with vanilla extract gives the flavour a depth that extract alone does not reach, without introducing any competing taste. It is the six to eight hours in the refrigerator that actually make the texture: this is a make-ahead dessert, to start that morning or the evening before if you are serving it the next day. It scales easily for a larger crowd, doubling the crust and tripling the filling for a 15 cm springform pan.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/3 cup blanched almonds
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 2 pitted dates
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon water
• 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil

Filling

• 1 large avocado
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 drops concentrated vanilla extract (or the seeds scraped from 1/3 vanilla pod)
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut butter
• 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• A pinch of salt (the equivalent of 1 tablespoon - 15 ml - of seawater)
• A few drops of stevia, optional, if you want extra sweetness

Preparation

1. In a food processor, blend the blanched almonds, shredded coconut and pitted dates to a coarse crumb, then add the melted coconut oil and the water and pulse briefly, just until the mixture holds together when pressed between your fingers.
2. Divide the crust across the bases of the moulds and press it down firmly with the back of a spoon, then chill while you make the filling.
3. In a high-speed blender, blend the avocado, honey and vanilla until completely smooth.
4. Add the coconut butter, coconut oil and salt, then blend again to combine.
5. Pour the filling over the prepared crust and smooth the surface.
6. Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours before serving.

Tip

Because the filling sets thanks to melted coconut oil and butter, a warm kitchen slows the setting considerably: for the cleanest slices, chill the cheesecakes on the coldest, most stable shelf of the refrigerator, not in the door. For a 15 cm springform pan, double the crust quantities and triple the filling.

FAQ: your questions about raw avocado cheesecakes