Once upon a time, a twenty something accountess living in a cute but small flat in Chalk Farm, happened upon a recipe during some recipe testing (when she probably should have been doing her day job) that she thought was possibly the best thing ever. She gave some to her new husband, and he agreed. Despite wanting to try and create other new recipes, this recipe was so good that she had to always have a batch of it in the freezer. Every week she made a batch of 16 squares. But soon they outgrew it, and two batches a week were necessary. On their moving day to their newly purchased family home, she cut them each a huge slab of it, to keep them going throughout the morning and as a cheers of sorts to their new home.

She left her job, with the intention of having a baby and eventually they were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. Before the birth the ex-accountess now turned ‘blogger’ (although she didn’t enjoy that term) had made batches and batches of the cheesecake, aforewarned by kind friends and family of the hunger and potentially disrupted nights that lay ahead. She had no room in her freezer for savoury food, but that was ok, she was that kind of girl.

She then realised, many moons and many many cheesecakes later, that despite showing photos of this cheesecake to people, and sharing it with friends and family, that she’d never taken any half decent photos or published the recipe.

That girl and I have a lot in common. And much like her, I have wronged you with my tardiness and I can only apologise. Please take this recipe as an olive branch, please go and make it and please know that when you’re tucking into a slice and making yet another batch, I am most likely doing the exact same.

Love, Mrs H xx

Ingredients

For the base:

• 1 cup cashews
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup dates
• 1/4 cup cacao powder
• 2 tbsp almond milk

For the peanut butter layer: 

• 1/2 cup dates
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non dairy milk)
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

For the chocolate mousse on top:

• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1/2 cup dates
• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• 2 bananas
• 2 avocados

To make the base, first combine the oats, cashews and cacao in a food processor and blend for about a minute until they form a crumbly mixture. Then add in the other ingredients and continue to blend until the consistency is slightly sticky. If it’s too crumbly, add in some water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. Spoon the mixture into a lined baking tray or mould and press down evenly, then pop in the fridge to set.

For the peanut butter layer, simply combine the ingredients in a food processor until it is all deliciously smooth and creamy. Remove the base from the fridge and spoon the peanut butter mixture on top. Make sure to lick the spoon! Yum.

Pop the cheesecake in the freezer for around an hour or longer, then get your blender or food processor out again (I use my Vitamix but if your blender doesn’t love working with dates then I would suggest a food processor). Pop the ingredients for the chocolate mousse into your blender and whizz for about two minutes, stopping every 30 seconds or so to scrape the mixture down the edges so it’s all equally blended. Spoon this on top of the peanut butter layer then place in the freezer again for another four hours minimum so that it can set. Slice it into squares and then store in the freezer. Defrost each square for about half an hour to eat or pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so to make it amazingly gooey and delicious!

Love, Mrs H xx