This recipe is a light, healthier version of cheesecake and we guarantee it will go down a TREAT and even your gluten free friends can enjoy it.

The base is made with nuts and dates (whizzed together in the Kenwood food processor, or similar) with a cooked topping.

Base Ingredients:

• 2 cups desiccated coconut
• 2 cups raw mixed unsalted nuts
• 40 dates pitted and soaked with 4 tbsp of boiling water beforehand to soften (or approx 15 pitted Medjool dates, also soaked before)
• Zest of 2 large lemons (or try orange)
• 1½ tbsps of butter or coconut oil, gently melted

Filling Ingredients:

• 600g ricotta cheese
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1½ cups of light cream cheese (375g)
• 1 cup of frozen blueberries, defrosted (or fresh if in season)
• 6 tbsp of sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon (or try orange)

Topping:

• 1 cup of thick and creamy natural yoghurt or coconut yoghurt
• Fresh berries or sliced fruit to garnish

How to make:

1. Preheat oven to 150c then grease and line a 20cm circular loose bottom tin (or tin of your choice) with baking paper and set aside.

2. To make the base, gently melt the coconut oil or butter in the microwave or by placing it in a heatproof bowl over a pan of steaming water with the heat turned off.

3. Place the desiccated coconut and nuts into a food processor and blend until the mixture looks like chunky crumbs.

4. Add the dates (ensuring you have removed the pits!), lemon zest and coconut oil/butter then blend in a food processor until well combined. Press the base mixture evenly into the prepared tin, then bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

5. Clean the food processor bowl and firstly blend the blueberries until smooth. Then add the remaining ingredients for the filling into the food processor and blend together until smooth and well combined. Don’t panic if it’s quite runny as it will set in the oven.

6. Carefully pour cheesecake filling over cooked base. Bake for approx 1 hour or until just set (the filling should have a slight wobble, this might take up to 1.5 hours).

7. Set aside to cool. Once completely cool, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with the yoghurt and fresh berries before serving.