Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream Cakes (vegan)
*These Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream Cakes are vegan, dairy free, refined sugar free, gluten free, paleo friendly, and can be made in two different ways: Ice cream cake-style, or cheesecake-style! Crunchy toasted hazelnuts are mixed into a chewy brownie base, creamy hazelnut cheesecake/ice cream fills the center, and the top is swirled with a homemade chocolate hazelnut spread.
Author: Thekitchenmccabe/Photo credit to thekitchenmccabe.com
Ingredients
- FOR THE CRUST:
- 8 Dates (Deglet Noor)
- ¼ cup Coconut Milk (canned)
- 1½ cups + 2 tablespoons Almond Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Raw Cacao Powder (or cocoa powder)
- ⅓ cup Coconut Palm Sugar
- ¼ cup Hazelnuts, finely chopped and lightly toasted
- 2 tablespoons Unsweetened Chocolate, finely chopped
- FOR THE FILLING (ICE CREAM CAKE):
- 1¼ cup Hazelnuts, soaked overnight (drain liquid before using)
- ⅔ cup Cashews, soaked overnight (drain liquid before using)
- 1¾ cup Almond or Coconut Milk
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 3 tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder (or cocoa powder)
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ cup Coconut Oil, liquified
- ¼ cup Cacao Butter, liquified
- FOR THE FILLING (CHEESECAKE):
- 1¼ cup Hazelnuts, soaked overnight (drain liquid before using)
- ⅔ cup Cashews, soaked overnight (drain liquid before using)
- 1 cup Almond or Coconut Milk
- ½ cup Maple Syrup
- 2½ tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder (or cocoa powder)
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ cup Coconut Oil, liquified
- ¼ cup Cacao Butter, liquified
- 1 recipe Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
- 18 Hazelnuts, halved and lightly toasted
Instructions
- FOR THE CRUST: Soak the dates in the coconut milk for several hours, or overnight, if possible. Place the coconut milk and dates in the bowl of a food processor, along with the almond flour, salt, cacao powder, and coconut palm sugar. Process at a high speed until the dates have broken down completely and the mixture forms a dark, chocolate-y dough that is relatively smooth. Add the hazelnuts and unsweetened chocolate to the processor and process just until they are evenly dispersed throughout the dough.
- Divide the dough between a 6-well mini cheesecake pan with removable bottoms (each well should be about 3" in diameter). Press the dough into each well with the back of a spoon or your fingers until level and smooth. Place in the freezer.
- FOR THE FILLING (ICE CREAM CAKES):
- Place the hazelnuts, cashews, nut milk, maple syrup, cacao powder, vanilla, salt, coconut oil, and cacao butter in a high speed blender (like a Vitamix) and blend on medium/low for 1 minute. Up the speed to a higher setting and blend for several minutes, scraping the sides down as needed, until the mixture becomes completely smooth.
- Remove the mini cheesecake pan from the freezer and divide the mixture evenly between the wells. Drop the pan on the counter a few times to remove air bubbles. Place pan back in the freezer for 4 hours, or until the cakes are completely frozen.
- Remove cakes from the freezer and top each cake with a large spoonful of chocolate hazelnut spread. Spread each spoonful in a swirling motion to the edge of each cake. Top each cake with toasted hazelnuts.
- Place back in the freezer for another hour or two, until the chocolate spread has frozen.
- To remove cakes, run hot water over a wash cloth and wrap the cloth around the sides of a cheesecake well. After a few seconds, you should be able to pop the cake out of the mold. Remove the bottom disc before serving.
- FOR THE FILLING (CHEESECAKE): Follow the instructions for the ice cream cake filling, but use the ingredient amounts listed for the cheesecake filling instead.
