Raw Triple Layer Cheesecake and Chocolate Mousse Pie

I'm back.

It has been a while since I last posted, and if you don't want to read a clumsy preamble about my personal life, feel free to scroll straight down to the recipe. Go on, I'll never know.

I've had some pretty major life changes occur over the last few months, and things have been internally and externally extremely unstable for me. I feel as though I've spent recent months gnawing on imaginary tethers before I finally turned the lights on and realised I was, in fact, free this entire time. Life is interesting. And beautiful. And surprising.

Although I always make a big effort to continue to nurture myself and eat well; making beautiful, home-cooked meals did fall by the wayside somewhat in recent times due to my being so unsettled. Recently I have been making absolute basics most of the time and did not create anything worthy of a Famished Fox post!

Now I am settled in my new home in Bondi Beach, living with an absolutely gorgeous flatmate who I met studying Naturopathy. We both like to cook deliciously healthy meals, frolic gracelessly in the sea, train hard, drink wine by the bucket, and make fun of silly boys. We're a good match.

Through all of the recent tumult, I have really had my eyes opened to the quality and beauty of the people around me and I am wholly and joyfully grateful for the amazing support network I have. I must be the luckiest woman alive. So, I decided to get (raw) cooking and make my famous Raw Triple Layer Cheesecake and Chocolate Mousse Pie for some very deserving friends. Heather. Fereen. Sean. Kylie. Eat the food, y'all. You've earned it.

Now back to the pie... this pie is legitimately ridiculous.

I have never made this dessert for someone who didn't love it. This list includes teenagers, little kids, stubborn parents, and health-suspicious friends. This recipe is a FF original and is jam-packed with antioxidants, good fatty acids, protein, enzymes, minerals, and a good range of both water and fat soluble vitamins.

This recipe makes two full-sized pies plus a teensy single serve pie in a jar, which I made for my friend, training buddy, and collaborator Sean over at The Movement Guide. Sean and I have some very exciting news to share with all y'all soon, but you'll have to wait until my next post to find out exactly what that is ;)

Anyway, enough chatter, let me give you what you came for:

Raw Triple Layer Cheesecake and Chocolate Mousse Pie:

Base:

2 cups activated almonds

8 - 10 juicy medjool dates

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1-2 Tbs of rose buds/petals

Cashew Cheesecake Centre:

2 cups raw cashews (soaked for minimum 4-6 hours)

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 tsp Loving Earth Vanilla Bean Powder

1/4 cup coconut syrup

Up to 1/4 cup water (just enough to loosen the mixture so it blends smoothly)

Chocolate Mousse:

5 large ripe avocados

1/2-3/4 cup raw cacao, depending on how chocolatey you like it

1 tsp cinnamon

1-2 Tbs orange zest

1 tsp Loving Earth Vanilla Bean Powder

1/2 cup coconut syrup or raw honey (I used a combination of both, but keep the honey out if you'd like to keep this dessert vegan)

3-4 Tbs coconut oil

Decorate with:

Fresh or frozen berries (I used raspberries)

Cacao nibs

Desiccated coconut

Orange zest

The tears of angels who cannot eat this because they are angels

Method:

Blend all of the ingredients for the base in a food processor until it just starts to come together but still has some texture to it, and then press into the base of the pie tins and jars. Blend all of the ingredients for the cashew cheesecake layer and layer over the almond base. Refrigerate or freeze while you process the ingredients for the mousse so that it is more firm and easier to layer the mousse on top of the cheesecake layer. Decorate at will, and eat the whole thing in like, 12 hours. That's what we all did.

Stay tuned for some exciting news, foxes. It feels good to be back.

FF xx

rose, lemon, and coconut raw chocolate truffles

Valentines Day is pretty much the schmultziest of all holidays, redeemable only by the fact that it is completely acceptable and even expected for me to make things like this “for Jarrod”.

Media is awash with debauched chocolatey recipes at this time of year, and this one is no different. It is rich, decadent, and not-so-subtly peppered with ingredients that have known aphrodisiac qualities. The one big difference with this recipe though is that there is no added sugar, honey, stevia, agave, or syrup of any kind. None. Zip. Nada. To say that this raw recipe is sugar-free would be quite cheeky of me though as fruit obviously does contain quite a lot of natural sugar, and that is what lends these raw cacao truffles their sumptuous sweetness. The recipe is also completely raw, and full of superfoods. So eat, share (ha), and be merry.

As we all know, I am not vegan, but just for fun, this dessert is. The end result is a rich, smooth chocolate delicately flavoured with lemon, rose, vanilla, and banana. The consistency is best likened to a traditional truffle, with a little bit of extra chewiness and texture from the dates, rose petals, and coconut.

Let’s get down to it.

Rose, lemon, and coconut raw chocolate truffles

(Makes 12)

Ingredients:

1 x ripe banana

5 x big, juicy medjool dates (try to get dates dried without sulphur)

¼ cup raw cacao powder

¼ cup cold-pressed coconut oil

¼ cup desiccated coconut

½ a vanilla bean, scraped

1 Tbs rose petals

1 Tbs freshly grated lemon zest

1 x tiny pinch Himalayan salt (do not omit)

A handful each extra (about 2 Tbs) of raw cocoa powder, desiccated coconut, and finely chopped rose petals to decorate the chocolates.

Method:

1. Blend all ingredients save the last one (reserved for decorating) in a food processor or vitamix until completely combined and fairly smooth (it will not be completely smooth due to the dates, rose petals, and desiccated coconut – tell your lover that this is part of its homemade charm).
2. Scrape mixture into a bowl and place in the refrigerator to semi-set for about one hour. Do not leave for too much longer than this as the coconut oil will harden and make it too difficult to work with.
3. Once the mixture is semi-set, roll into medium-sized balls with your hands. Messy work, but will make about a dozen of these delectable truffles, so it’s worth it.
4. Place the raw chocolate truffles on a plate in the fridge for another 30 minutes to an hour to further set.
5. Lay out your ingredients for decoration on three small plates and roll each of your chocolate truffles in just one of the toppings until finely coated. I chose cacao powder, desiccated coconut, and rose, but you could certainly use sesame seeds, finely chopped lavender, citrus zest, chopped nuts, or any number of other toppings that you prefer.

Now either serve them to your love after a delicious dinner, or eat them all yourself with a cask of shitty wine. Both are in the spirit of Valentines Day.