David Williams was one of the demonstrators at the Shetland Food Fair this year and he showed us just how easy it is to make a nutritious, raw cheesecake from wholesome ingredients.
Leading up to the Food Fair we asked him a few questions....
Q. How long have you been cooking?
A. I was a chef in the British Army for 26 years and travelled the world..(including my favourite part of the world... Canada).
Q. What are your inspirations when it comes to cooking?
A. Seeing ideas and then working how to adapt them to how I'd like to see them prepared and presented..for myself, and especially my daughters, I have them in mind with most things I do.
Q. What's your favourite Shetland-produced ingredient and why?
A. To date since living here, I love the home grown beef, lamb, and fresh produce. I plan to get more into the fruits as the seasons allow.
Q. Do you have anything else you'd like to share about your passion for food?
A. Sometimes I have an idea in my head, I know what the end product should look like then I spend my time getting to that end point. Wedding cakes, Xmas cakes, chocolates..(I'm currently planning on a small project that hopefully will take off in the future).
Q. What recipe will you be demonstrating at the Shetland Food Fair this weekend?
A. I plan to make a Raw Cheesecake. I like to keep myself fit and balance my diet to maintain my fitness. I saw the recipe on The Rawtarian, so I hope to take that and slightly adapt it to include something "local". Also I may, time permitting, be making some chocolates to go with the Shetland Reel Gin made locally on Unst. I want to demo something that everyone can make with little fuss and keep it healthy at the same time.
Dave did, indeed, make some chocolates with Shetland Reel Gin. On the first day of the Shetland Food Fair there was a dark chocolate slab with seaweed available for sampling at the Shetland Reel Gin stall, and on the Sunday (pictured above) the chocolate was made with apple mint, one of the key botanicals in the gin.
Raw Cheesecake
Course: Main
Servings: 20 servings
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: minutes
Ingredients:
Crust Ingredients
- macadamia nuts - 1.5 cups ((or a combination of walnuts and/or macadamia nuts))
- dates - 1/2 cup
- dried, unsweetened coconut - 1/4 cup
- sea salt - 1 pinch
White Cheesecake Filling Ingredients
- cashews - 3 cups
- lemon juice - 3/4 cup
- agave syrup - 3/4 cup (or honey)
- coconut oil - 3/4 cup
- water - 1/4 cup (optional)
- pure vanilla extract - 1 tbsp
Fruit Topping Ingredients
- frozen strawberries - 2 cups
- dates - 1/2 cup
Instructions:
- Place the macadamia nuts, salt and dates into your food processor. Process until well combined but still airy.
- Sprinkle the coconut on the bottom of your cheesecake pan and then firmly press the date and nut mixture on top to form the crust.
- Add all of the filling ingredients into the jug of a high speed blender and process until well combined. Add as little water as necessary to help blending. Spoon the mixture on top of the crust.
- Place the cheesecake in your freezer for an hour or so to firm up.
- Meanwhile, place the frozen strawberries and dates into the jug of your high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Spoon the fruit topping mixture on top of the filling and return the cheesecake back to the freezer. Freeze for a further five hours.
- Defrost for about a half-hour before eating or simply slice from freezer.
The original recipe can be found on therawtarian.com
Elizabeth Atia
I am a self taught home cook, feeding my family on the west side of Shetland with as much local produce, flavour and love as I can. I am no expert by any means, but I do enjoy learning and writing about food, flavours and techniques.