Summer is the perfect season to enjoy desserts that are light, tangy, and refreshing while still being decadent. While lazing on the beach with my girl friends the other day, we conjured up a variation of today's dessert. It was supposed to be in tart form with a fresh kiwi garnish, but after forgetting to pick up kiwis at the grocery store, and wanting less minimal crust, I settled on mini cheesecakes. Who doesn't love their own individual dessert? I dressed these with a strawberry goji sauce and fresh mint. This makes more crust than filling so save the leftovers for a future cheesecake or simply roll it into balls for a healthy snack.
Mini Lemon Goji Berry Cheesecakes Crust 1/2 cup almonds 1/3 cup shredded coconut 1/4 cup dried mulberries 2 tablespoons hunza raisins 1 1/2 teaspoons water Grind the almonds into flour in a food processor. Add the coconut, mulberries, and raisins. Grind until the raisins are completely broken down (this will take a minute or two). Add the water last and pulse to combine. Press the crust into 4-5 mini silicone muffin pans (or mini cheesecake pans) and set aside. Filling 1 cup cashews 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup melted coconut oil Heaping 1/4 cup goji berries Blend the cashews, lemon juice, coconut sugar, and vanilla until smooth in a blender. Add the coconut oil and blend to incorporate. Add the goji berries and blend briefly until they begin to break down but keep some texture and see bits of the goji berries. Spread the filling over the crusts (as I said above, there will be more crust than filling). Chill in the freezer for 8-12 hours. Peel away the silicone moulds and transfer to the fridge for at least 6 hours. Sauce 1 1/4 cup diced strawberries 2 pitted dates, chopped 1/4 cup goji berries Blend the strawberries and dates in a food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the goji berries. Set aside for at least 20 minutes. The berries will soften. Spoon over the cheesecakes before eating.
Recipe by Chef Heather Pace, www.sweetlyraw.com