This recipe was an instant flash idea – it simply popped into my head and I wrote it down straight away.
It is a real winner – deliciously creamy, refreshingly tart and sweet with a crunchy base.
Perfect for a relaxed afternoon delight in the sun!
Enjoy!
Base:
1 C raw pecans or almonds – ideally soaked & dehydrated
1/2 C of raisins or dates
2 TBSP coconut oil, liquid
1/2 vanilla pod
1 pinch of sea salt
Ricotta Filling:
2/3 C raw cashews, soaked for 30 minutes
1/2 C raw almonds, soaked for 30 minutes
5 dates, soaked in 1 cup of water for 30 minutes OR Honey (no need to soak the honey 😉 )
1 C of (date soaking) water
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 vanilla pod
2 figs, sliced into 8 equal pieces each
zest of 1/2 a lemon
If you haven’t already, soak almonds and cashews in a bowl of fresh water and soak the dates in 1 cup of fresh water.
Scrape beans out of vanilla pod.
You can blend the pod and the beans or use only the beans and make vanilla extract with the pod*
Place all ingredients for the crust in a food processor and blend to a sticky consistency.
Press dough into the base and 2cm up the sides of a cake tin or several smaller tins.
Rinse soaked nuts, peel almonds if you would like the filling to be creamy white.
Blend nuts with dates, date soaking water, lemon juice and vanilla until thick and creamy.
To keep it a bit chunkier, use less soaking water when blending.
Spread onto cake base(s) and decorate with plum slices and lemon zest.
Variations:
– mint instead of lemon zest, and pistachios to sprinkle on top
– orange zest, orange blossom water and some cinnamon instead of lemons, and plums instead of figs
– espresso powder for the filling, dusted with cacao and pine nuts sprinkled on top.
The ricotta recipe will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Just stir and spread when you are ready to use it!
*Vanilla Extract:
Cut pod into 2 inch – 5 cm long pieces.
Place in small jar, cover with vodka.
Shake once a day for 1 month, then it’ll be ready for use.
Stores “forever” as long as the pods are covered in vodka and can even be topped up if need to be.
