Ricotta Cheesecake

This recipe is a light, healthier version of cheesecake, and I guarantee it will go down a TREAT and one even your gluten-free friends can enjoy. The base is made with nuts and dates with a cooked topping.

Base Ingredients:

1¾ cups (100g) desiccated coconut
1¾ cups (260g) raw mixed unsalted nuts
150g dates, pitted and soaked with 4 tbsp of boiling water beforehand to soften
Zest of 2 large lemons
1½ tbsp of butter or coconut oil, gently melted

Filling Ingredients:

600g ricotta cheese
6 eggs, separated
1½ cups (375g) of light cream cheese
¾ cup (150g) caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

How to make:

Preheat oven to 150c then grease and line a 20cm circular loose-bottom tin (or tin of your choice) with baking paper and set aside.
To make the base, gently melt the coconut oil or butter in the microwave or by placing it in a heatproof bowl over a pan of steaming water with the heat turned off.
Place the nuts into a food processor and blend until the mixture looks like chunky crumbs. Add the coconut and whizz to combine.
Add the dates (ensuring you have removed the pits!), vanilla extract, and coconut oil/butter, then blend until well combined. Press the base mixture evenly into the prepared tin, then bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Wash the bowl of the processor thoroughly.
Use egg beaters (or the food processor whisk attachment if you have one) to whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then remove from the bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining ingredients for the filling into the food processor, blend together until smooth and well combined, and transfer into a large mixing bowl.
Fold the egg whites through the mixture.
Carefully pour cheesecake filling over cooked base. Bake for approx 1 hour or until just set (the filling should have a slight wobble, this might take up to 1.5 hours).
Set aside to cool. Once completely cool, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serving tips:
A strawberry coulis works perfectly served alongside: blend 2 cups or so of strawberries in a food processor/blender along with 1 tablespoon of caster sugar, and voila!
When ready to serve, garnish with fresh berries and a drizzle of melted white chocolate.

Adapt it:
As an alternative to strawberries, you can top this cheesecake with any fresh fruit of your choice, such as passionfruit pulp, mango or any other summer berries!
If you are short on time, you can skip the step of separating the eggs and just blend them whole. The cheesecake won’t be quite as light, but it will still be delicious!