At the end of a yoga session I like to bring treats; something for folks to share.  A little something to nibble on while they have an opportunity to get to know each other a better.  Yoga for me is so very much about the connection that we have with ourselves, but also about the connection that we have with others.  Teaching yoga has been an amazing opportunity to bring people, a wonderful place for me to feed people with words and movement and every so often with food.

Last week I made a raw cheesecake with layers of sour cherry and chocolate.  I was a little nervous.  I usually make these things up (like this cake).  And after a not so yummy sour cherry smoothie I wasn’t sure if I was making a good choice.  But it seems the cake was a hit.  So much so that I been kindly asked numerous times for the recipe.  You will find the “recipe” below.  I am approximating what I but in the blender.  I have been making raw cakes for about a decade now so it is all by feel now.  I hope that this approximation helps you create a yummy treat!

Sour cherry chocolate “cheese”cake

In a high powered blender (or perhaps a food processor) put in the following for the cheesecake layer:

4 cups of raw cashews

juice of 1 lemon

2 Tablespoons of coconut oil

1/2 cup of raw honey

1 or 2 Tablespoons of water

optional (vanilla, lemon rind, cinnamon)  I did not have this in the above cake but I often do.

And blend under as smooth as possible.  Give it a little taste to see if it is sweet enough for you. I use a vita-mix with the plunger and plunge like mad!  I don’t mind if there are some whole cashews in my cake. Once you are satisfied pour mixture (should be thicker than a smoothie…or like a really really thick smoothie) into a cheesecake pan or even a lasagna pan).  Use a spatula to get all the good stuff out of your blender and to smooth out the top and put the whole thing into the freezer.

Sour cherry layer  (place in blender)

3 or 4 cups of frozen sour cherries

1/2 cup of coconut milk

3 or 4 Tablespoons of honey (or more if you like)

1 tsp of cinnamon

Blend under nice and smooth.  Poor over bottom layer and freeze

Chocolate layer (make in pot on stove)

4 Tablespoons of coconut oil

1 Tablespoons of cacao butter

2 Tablespoons of honey (or more to taste)

4 Tablespoons of cacao powder

optional (vanilla)

Over a low heat melt these ingredients together.  Poor over cherry layer and freeze.

Freeze overnight!  Serve cool.  Sometimes it takes a good 15 or more minutes to be able to cut into the cake!  But if you wait too long it will begin to return to it’s puddle state!

Enjoy!!!

This cake goes very well with “fancy” coffee!  Last week I made some french press coffee and blended it with some coconut oil and brain octane oil.  Yum!

May you have sweet people with whom to share your sweet treats.

So much love and connection. xoxo