Chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake bars (raw vegan paleo)

A healthy desert that tastes like Ferrero.

There are few things that go together better than chocolate and hazelnut, so if you are craving something chocolatey, this slice of heaven will definitely hit the spot. We think they taste a little bit like a Ferrero Rocher! It’s seriously hard to believe a desert so rich and creamy could be dairy and refined sugar free.

These ‘mock’ cheesecake bars have a crunchy nut base made from hazelnuts, cashews, crunchy activated buckwheat grouts and dates. The creamy filling is an amazing contrast. Raw nuts, cacao powder, coconut cream and honey are simply blitzed in the Vibe Blender until silky smooth. Watch whole nuts turn to cream in seconds! For extra decadence, we've topped the filling with hazelnuts and a drizzle of melted chocolate. 

The Luvele kitchen luvs to use the Vibe Blender for ‘unbaking’ decadent deserts and treats. If you like this recipe, you will be pleased to know we have more nut-based, raw, vegan and paleo cheesecakes on our recipe blog. Try these:

• Raw mini coconut and strawberry chia jam cheesecakes
• Raw pecan pie cheesecakes
• Mango cheesecake with macadamia crumble

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT HERE 

INGREDIENTS

Base
½ cup (70g) raw cashews
¼ cup (35g) activated buckwheat grouts (Bunkinis) or extra cashew nuts
1 cup (140g) hazelnuts (preferably activated)
6 large Medjool dates – pitted and chopped
35 grams of coconut oil – approx. 1 heaped tablespoon
2 tablespoons (20g) of raw cacao powder
Pinch of salt

Choc-hazelnut cream filling
1 cup (140g) raw cashews, soaked
¼ cup (35g) of hazelnuts, soaked
1 cup (250 ml) of homemade coconut yogurt or canned coconut cream (no coconut water)
1/3 cup (35g) of raw cacao powder
1/3 cup (80ml) honey or maple syrup
1/3 cup (80ml) of liquid coconut oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla 

Topping
½ cup of hazelnuts – chopped
Dark chocolate – melted (optional)
Sprinkling of activated buckwheat grouts

METHOD

Preparation
1.   Soak the cashews and hazelnuts required for the cream filling in water with 1 teaspoon of salt for 2 hours. Soaking for longer will not harm the nuts.

Base
2.   Line a 20cm square tin with baking paper so that it is coming up over the sides.
3.   Add all the base ingredients into the clear Vibe Blender jug in the order listed.
4.   ‘Pulse’ the blades approx. 5 times.
5.   Stop, and check the consistency. Run a spatula down under the blades.
6.   Pulse again if necessary. The mixture should resemble a sticky crumb but still has a few visible buckwheat grouts in the mixture for texture. It may be dry in places, but this can be incorporated when pressed into the tin.
7.   Pour the crumb mixture out into your prepared tin and press firmly with the back of a spoon to form a solid base.
8.   Place the base in the fridge to set while you prepare the hazelnut cream filling.
9.  The Blender Vibe jug does not need to be cleaned for the cream filling.

Hazelnut cream filling
10. Pour the soaked nuts into a wire sieve and run under the tap to thoroughly rinse and then drain. Shake the sieve to remove as much water as possible from the nuts.
11. Place all the filling ingredients in the Vibe jug and blend on ‘smoothie’ mode for 40 seconds or until silky smooth.
12. Pour the filling onto the nut base and spread to the sides.
13. Place into the fridge and allow to set for 3 hours or overnight. 
14. Once ready, remove the slice from the tin by lifting the over-hanging baking paper.
15. Slice into squares.
16. Press in pieces of chopped hazelnut then drizzle with melted dark chocolate.
17. Store sealed in the fridge for up to 1 week.

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