Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake
Ingredients
- Crust
- 1cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
- 1/2cup soft, pitted Medjool dates
- 2tablespoons raw cacao powder
- 1teaspoon vanilla
- pinch sea salt
- Filling
- 1cup coconut cream
- 1/2cup cashew pieces, soaked for 4-8 hours
- 1tablespoon lemon juice
- 1tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/8teaspoon liquid vanilla stevia
- 1/4cup coconut oil
- Ganache
- 2/3cup canned full-fat coconut milk
- 3ounces store-bought dark chocolate
Instructions
For the Crust:
- In a food processor with an S blade, puree the shredded coconut, dates, raw cacao powder, vanilla extract, and salt until the ingredients clump together.
- Line the walls of a 7” springform pan by making a ring of unbleached parchment paper. You can staple the paper where the ends meet to help it stay together.
- Press the crust into the lined pan and set aside.
For the Filling:
- In a food processor with an S blade, puree the coconut cream, cashews, honey, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and the liquid vanilla stevia. Add the melted coconut oil last while the processor is running.
- Continue to puree the mixture for a few minutes. In the beginning, the fat will separate. Then the heat from processing will help it re-emulsify. The filling is done when it’s completely smooth and looks like a cream sauce.
- Set aside a few tablespoons of the filling to use when you make the swirl on top of the cheesecake.
- Pour the rest over the crust and set it aside while you make the Ganache.
For the Ganache:
- In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk until it begins to simmer.
- Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl, pour the hot coconut milk over it, and let it sit for 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk as the head of the coconut milk melts the chocolate, and continue whisking until the milk and chocolate are well combined.
To Create the Swirl:
- The Ganache should be very warm when you add it to the cheesecake. If it isn’t, heat it before you begin.
- When the cream filling is slightly set (like soft cream cheese), drizzle some of the Ganache over the top. Note: you won’t use all the Ganache.
- Use a knife to swirl the Ganache in a figure 8 motion.
- Heat the reserved cream filling and add it to the top as needed to create a pretty design. This is especially helpful if you end up with a glob of some of the heated cream filling over the glob, and swirl it around with the knife to fix it.
- Chill the cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator.
To Serve:
- Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator. Remove the wall of the springform pan, and peel off the paper.
- Heat a large chef’s knife in a glass of very hot water. Run the knife between the crust and the bottom of the pan until the cheesecake has completely separated from the pan. Lift the cheesecake onto a serving plate.
- Heat the knife again in very hot water and dry it with a towel. Use the knife to slice the cheesecake while it’s still cold from the refrigerator.
- Allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature for serving. Store it in the refrigerator.
Reprinted with permission from The Paleo Chocolate Lover’s Cookbook by Kelly V. Brozyna, copyright © 2013. Published by Victory Belt Publishing Inc.