*This post was created in collaboration with Great Lakes Gelatin. All words, images, and opinions are my own.

I can’t think of anything more quintessential to Valentine’s Day than roses and chocolate, so I decided to combine them into an adorable treat that’s purrrfect for sharing with your loved ones! These mini cheesecakes are paleo friendly, refined sugar and gluten free, and with a quick swap, they can easily be made dairy free as well. If you’ve never tried rose water before I can promise it doesn’t taste like eating a bouquet :). It has this subtly sweet, floral flavor that really pairs well with the fresh raspberries. The cashews, along with Great Lakes Collagen powder, give these cakes the creaminess you’d expect from a no bake cheesecake (minus the dairy), and they are just as simple to whip up. Placed atop the crunchy, chocolatey graham cracker cookies this dessert is tart and sweet in all the best ways.

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Ingredients: (makes 6, 2.5″ cheesecakes)

Raspberry Rose Cheesecake Filling:

1 ¼ cups soaked cashews*

1 cup full fat coconut milk (plus more as needed for blending)

2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon rose water

4 scoops Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate

1/8 teaspoon salt

2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup or 9-12 drops liquid Stevia for non-glycemic (sweeten to taste)

1 cup fresh raspberries

2 teaspoons pink pitaya powder (optional, for extra color)

Silicone dome mold

*see directions below for tips to soak the cashews

Chocolate Graham Crackers: (makes 10 2 3/4″ cookies)

*Modified from Sweet Laurel Bakery‘s Graham Cracker Recipe

1 cup almond flour

¼ cup arrowroot powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

2 tablespoons cacao powder

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons ghee or unrefined coconut oil (for dairy free), melted

2 3/4″ round cookie cutter

Parchment paper

Cat Decorations:

10 chocolate jimmies

Marzipan

Red and blue natural food coloring (I used beet juice and blue spirulina)

Pink Fondant or fresh berries (for the cheeks)

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 tsp coconut oil (optional, to smooth the chocolate)

Toothpicks

Wax paper  

Directions:

1. To soak the cashews (which makes it easier to blend them), stir ½ TB sea salt into 2 ½ cups filtered water, and add the cashews. Cover with a clean dishtowel and allow the cashews to sit on the counter for 3 hours. Before using, rinse and drain the cashews until the water coming off of them is clear.
2. Use a clean paper towel dipped into the melted coconut oil to lightly grease each dome mold cavity. Set aside.
3. Place the soaked cashews, along with the other filling ingredients, into a high speed blender, and blend on high for at least 1 minute until smooth. You can add pink pitaya powder as needed for color, and sweeten to taste.
4. Pour the filling into the prepared silicone mold, filling each cavity to the top (I find it easiest to pour from a small measuring cup). You can use an offset spatula to smooth the filling. Transfer to the freezer.
5. Time to make the cookie crusts! Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
6. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla, and ghee or coconut oil, and stir into the dry ingredients until a dough forms.
7. Roll the dough out to 1/4″, between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Use the round cookie cutter to cut out as many circles as you can, re-rolling the dough as needed. Place them at least 1 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.
8. Transfer the cookie cutouts to the freezer for 10 minutes.
9. Bake for 15 minutes, then allow to cool for 5 minutes on the tray before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will crisp up more the longer they are left to cool.
10. While the cheesecake sets we can work on the cat decorations :). Heat the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small heatproof bowl, for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir, and continue to heat in 30 second intervals until completely smooth and melted.
11. Use a toothpick dipped into the chocolate to draw the eyes and nose for each cat onto wax paper. Allow to set.
12. Cut a 2 inch section off of the marzipan, and add the red and blue natural coloring until you achieve a shade similar to that of the cheesecakes. Form 2 triangles for each cat’s ears, roll 2 little log shapes for each set of legs, and 1 longer log shape for the tail.
13. When you are ready to eat the cheesecakes carefully remove them from the silicone mold, and place each on top of a chocolate graham cracker (an offset spatula makes this easier). Use a toothpick to help transfer the chocolate details to the top of each dome. Add the fondant or fruit cheeks (you can use the end of a large round piping tip to punch them out of berries), and the marzipan legs, tails, and ears. Serve immediately with extra fresh berries and coconut whipped cream.

 

Leftover cheesecakes and cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer (just leave them out at room temp for at least 10 minutes before serving to soften).

Please let me know if you try this tutorial, I would love to see your creations :).