Camu camu is the latest health industry pom-pom. This Amazonian fruit has explosive amounts of vitamin C, more than a crate of smug oranges and lemons. Take that, Centrum.
And for the sake of eternal youth, I did have fun road-testing it.
You’ll find an arsenal of vitamin C in this cake (ginger, lemon, camu camu), keeping skin sexy and smooth while delaying the signs of aging. Tone, texture and elasticity crucially depend on our intake of vitamin C, and not on dastardly expensive creams and face masks. Just as well. I rather like the idea of fighting the aging process with a fork.
Camu Camu ‘Cheesecake’
This really does taste and feel like a cheesecake, except it contains absolutely no dairy. Hear me out. Soaking cashews makes them nice and soft. Tumble into a blender, blitz the bejaysus out of them and you have yourself a scrumptious creamy whip. Add your choice of natural syrup and a strong sharp flavour – lickystickyyummy.
It’s hard to suppress the memory of my making this cake at a recent demo. And receiving a standing ovation. It was one of the most mortifying and confusing moments of my life. I must have missed a beat, but suddenly I was parading around the room holding it like the cup of Christ. I think they call this Jerusalem Syndrome. Anyway, no one was harmed.
For the biscuit base:
475g raw pecan, walnuts or cashews
10 medjools dates, stones removed
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
Squeeze of lemon juice
For the filling:
610g raw unsalted cashews (not substitutable), soaked overnight
250-300ml raw honey (agave for vegans)
190ml melted coconut oil
juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons camu camu powder
6 tablespoons fresh ginger, skin removed and grated
4 teaspoons dried turmeric
Red currants, to decorate
You’ll need to oil 3 springform tins, of ascending sizes. These are a special type of baking tin usually used to make cheesecakes and fancy tortes. I use an 8cm, a 16cm and a 20cm spring form tins for this.
To make the base for all 3 tins, briefly pulse the listed base ingredients together using a food processor. A blender will puree the ingredients, so it’s really essential to use a processor here. Stop the motor when the dough starts to clump together. Spread the nutty dough over the bottom of each of your 3 springform tins. Place in the freezer to chill.
Now for the filling. Drain the cashew nuts and discard the soaking liquid. Cream the softened cashews with the remaining filling ingredients until smooth and glossy. This should take 2 minutes in a blender or a little longer in a food processor. Pour this creamy luminous filling over your 3 bases and return to the freezer until set.
Allow the cakes to thaw for 5 minutes before removing from their tins, and stacking on top of one another. Adorn with juicy berries, like redcurrants in the piccie. With a bit of luck, you’ll only suffer from Stendahl’s syndrome.
6 Comments
Quick quest pls – how would you approach this recipe if you only wish to make 1 layer of the cake (as yummy & all as 3 layers might be …….)
An EXCELLENT questions! Divide the quantity in 2 and it will make a good 20cm circular cake. You can store it for months in the freezer should you have left overs 😉
Tks. Made your brownies on Mon & they are unctuous – so satisfying. Your granola, flapjacks & energy balls are a staple in my house for the past year. Can’t wait for your next book. You are a
Fantastic Dee! So glad they found your kitchen. I’m filming more demos this week – seriously exciting stuff for a new project to be revealed next month 😉
Hi I was hoping that a suggestion could be made please for dates and cashews as I follow a low fodmap diet.
I would very much appreciate any feedback.
Hi Rachel! I’m afraid I can’t advise about the FODMAP diet 🙁 I hope you find something that suits (nut milks are particularly good). With every good wish, SJW