Raw Food Pecan Pie with Raspberry Cream

Nut and Fruit Pie with Cashew Cream-5421

This is a great raw food pie. Easy and delicious. The cashews (for the cashew cream) must be soaked for 12 hours so please don’t forget to place them in water a day in advance.
Serve with one of the two creams suggested below and any fresh fruit/berries of your liking! The cashew cream is a favourite with its subtle nutty taste and creamy texture. Please give it a try (a good blender is a must to achieve a smooth cream)! (In this photo I have drizzled dried raspberry on the plate).

Serves 4
Pie base:
100 ml almonds
100 ml pecans
50 ml dried cranberries
50 ml pitted dates (about 5 pieces)
25 ml coconut oil, melted
Dash of salt

1. Place all, except the oil, in a blender and mix until an even, creamy crumble.
2. Add the oil and blend another few minutes.
3. Press thinly into in portions sized pie molds or free hand rounds.
4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Serve with one of the two creams below and mixed berries:

1) Raspberry Cream:
200 ml cashews (that have been soaked overnight)
50 ml water
25 ml lemon juice
25 ml almond milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Dash of salt

50 ml frozen raspberries (fresh works too but frozen will keep the temperature down in the blender)
Mixed berries (to serve with the pie)
1. Blend all (except the raspberries) until completely smooth.
2. Add the frozen raspberries
3. Blend a bit more until desired consistency.
4. Pipe the cream on top of the portion sized pies.
5. Serve with mixed berries on top.

2) Raspberry Crème Fraiche:
200 ml crème fraiche
50 ml fresh berries
Mixed berries (to serve with the pie)

1) Whisk the crème fraiche fluffy
2) Add the raspberries, whisk to combine and slightly crush the berries
3) Pipe the cream on top of the portion sized pies.
4) Serve with mixed berries on top.

Amazing Cake Base

160610 Amazing cake base-3058

This cake base is made in a few minutes only. I like to chill the base in the fridge for an hour or so before using, but this is not necessary. Any topping goes, here I have made one with cream cheese and vanilla. Don’t forget to strain the sauce as it comes out much nicer without the seeds.
I have created the base to be able to serve it dairy free, low fodmap, vegan and raw as well as gluten free of course. The rest depends on what sauce and topping you choose. For a more interesting look, I would sprinkle some freeze dried strawberry powder on top, but, at the time of the photo shoot, I didn’t have access to any.

Serves 4

The base:
100 ml desiccated (dried and grated) coconut
2 tbsp cacao nibs
1 tbsp almond butter
1,5 tbsp melted cacao butter
1 tbsp rice syrup
50 ml fresh raspberries
Dash of salt

Topping:
2 tbsp crème fraiche,
100 g Philadelphia cream cheese
½ tsp vanilla extract

Sauce:
250 g frozen raspberries cooked with
25 ml water
1 tbsp icing/powdered sugar
Some extra raspberries for decoration

1. Mix the base ingredients with a fork. Press into 4 ring moulds. Add some topping and refrigerate.
2. Combine the ingredients for the topping. Pipe onto the cake base. Refrigerate.
3. Simmer the raspberries with the sugar and water over low heat. Add more water if needed. When slightly thickened, strain and cool.

Crunchy Biscotti Crumbs with Cardamom Cream and Berries

151014 Crunchy Biscotti Crumbs w Cardamom Cream and Berries-8987

This recipe stems from a failed attempt at making Biscotti. The loaf came out too thin but was just so delicious that I wanted to use it for something. Considered a Biscotti cake (will publish this at a later date) or just making crumbs for a dessert – the crumbs won (for now). The Cardamom cream is a wonderful addition to this dish or can also be served with just berries.

Serves 6
Biscotti:
100 g blanched almonds, dry pan roasted and chopped (place for a minute in boiling water, then peel)

1 whole egg
150 ml sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean extract
Zest from 1 lemon (finely grated)
½ tsp salt

1,5 tsp baking powder
150 g plain gluten free flour

Cardamom Cream:
500 ml crème fraiche
2-3 tsp of ground cardamom
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
Raspberries (or any other berry you like)
Making the Biscotti:

  1. Oven at 175 C
  2. Mix egg and sugar, add vanilla extract, lemon zest and salt
  3. Combine flour and baking powder, add to egg mixture
  4. Add the prepared almond pieces
  5. Let the dough stand for 10 minutes. Check texture, if too lose to form (sticky) loaves, add more flour
  6. Make 3 long loaves on greased baking parchment. Possibly using a piping bag with large nozzle.
  7. In oven 20 min
  8. While still hot, cut into biscotti slices
  9. Let cool
  10. Store in tightly covered tin.
  11. Create the crumbs either by chopping in small pieces or place in a plastic bag and “hammer” with the back of a knife.

Making the Cardamom Cream:

  1. Combine all the ingredients and whisk until thick, taste for more cardamom or vanilla flavour.
  2. Chill for at least 30 minutes

Serving:

Add the Crumbs, Cream and Raspberries in a bowl (or on a plate) as shown

151014 Crunchy Biscotti Crumbs with Cardamom Cream and Berries-9028

Passionate Raspberry Cake with Cheesecake Crème

0930 Passionate Raspberry Pie w Cheese Cke Creme DSC_8860

This cake is very moist and will stay so for days. The Cheesecake Crème is wonderful and there’s usually not any leftovers but if you do have a small batch left, please place in a piping bag, pipe small piles into a tray and place in the freezer. The small frozen Cheesecake treats are great with a cup of coffee (see photo).

0930 Frozen Cheese Cake Creme leftovers DSC_8956

Cheesecake Crème:
150g Philadelphia Cream Cheese
100 ml caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
500 ml crème fraiche

Passionate Raspberry Cake:
150 g butter, at room temperature
150 ml demerara sugar (brown sugar)
3 eggs
3 passion fruits
150 ml Greek yoghurt
150g gluten free plain flour
200 ml gluten free oats
2 teaspoons of baking powder
200 g frozen raspberries, do not thaw

Fresh raspberries for decoration

 

Cheesecake Crème:

  1. Oven at 125 C
  2. Whisk cheese and sugar in a bowl.
  3. Add vanilla extract and eggs
  4. Whisk the crème fraiche until smooth. Add to the other ingredients. Mix well together.
  5. Bake in a greased ovenproof dish for 1 hour.
  6. Let cool. Whisk until smooth. Chill.

Passionate Raspberry Cake:

  1. Oven at 170 C
  2. Whisk butter and sugar
  3. Add the eggs, the seeds from the passion fruits and the yoghurt.
  4. Combine the flour, baking powder and oats.
  5. Add the flour mix to the passion fruit mix and lastly add the frozen raspberries.
  6. Pour into greased cake tin and bake in the oven 50-60 minutes.

Assembly:

  1. Place a spoonful of Cheesecake Crème on one side of the plate and use a pastry brush to create a brush stroke across the plate.
  2. Cut a slice of cake and place on top of one end of the brush stroke.
  3. Decorate with fresh raspberries.