Raw No-bake Choc Orange Cheesecake Balls

The Holidays are coming! and I've been starting to think of some healthy holiday dessert recipes...

I love making raw no-bake desserts, firstly because they're super easy, and secondly, because they can be made a few days ahead, meaning you don't need to stress out cooking on Christmas morning. Plus, they're extra yummy, with an added healthy side.

I've experimented with a few raw cheesecakes, but this time I wanted to make something a little different, a dessert people could easily pop into their mouths with no fuss, and without having to dirty any plates (because we all know how much washing up there is to do after Christmas lunch or dinner already).

This recipe is vegan, raw, gluten free, no-bake, easy, and prefect for Holiday Parties.

Cheesecake balls

• 2 cups raw cashews (soaked overnight, or minimum of 4 hours)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 3/4 cup, orange juice
• Juice of half lemon
• Rind of 1 – 2 oranges
• 3 tbsp agave syrup
• pinch of salt

Chocolate Coating

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 tbsp agave or maple syrup (or honey if you aren't vegan)
• 3/4 cup cacao powder
• pinch of salt

Topping

• Crushed almonds (or nut of your choice)

Directions

Cheesecake balls

1. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Place them in a food processor or high powered blender with the other cheesecake ingredients (except orange rind) and process.
2. Add orange rind gradually, stopping occasionally to taste and see if you need more. You really want to bring out a strong citrus flavour. Process mixture until smooth and creamy.
3. Scrape mixture into a shallow bowl and place in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours, checking and stirring occasionally until the mixture is solid enough to form into balls.
4. Roll the mixture into balls with your hands. Place the balls in a baking tin lined with wax or parchment paper, and back into the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes to totally firm up again.

Chocolate coating

1. Get a double boiler set up with a small glass bowl over a pan with water. Add in the coconut oil and stir until it is melted. Add in the agave or maple syrup, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt, and stir until well combined then remove from heat. You will get a runny chocolate at first, but it will slowly thicken as it cools down.
2. To coat, hold the cheesecake balls still with a spoon or toothpick over the chocolate, and scoop the chocolate over the balls, one by one, and then rest them back in the tin. If the melted chocolate starts to cool off, very gently heat it back up over the double boiler.
3. Before the chocolate is hard, take a pinch of your topping of choice and sprinkle it on. I used crushed almonds, but chia, hemp seeds, shredded coconut, cacao nibs or goji berries would taste great too.
4. Store these in the fridge until just before you serve them.

Makes 12-14 balls