It’s the holiday season and you know what that means — lots of holiday gatherings and feasting with family and loved ones. But it doesn’t have to be all bad for your waistline! Sure, you might overindulge on turkey or ham, but that doesn’t mean you need to throw a sugary dessert on top of that. In fact, there are a ton of sugar-free and delicious options out there. Here are a couple of tasty recipes that everyone can enjoy, including the sweet tooths out there!
Sugar-Free Christmas Berry Cheesecake
Here’s a colorful and mouthwatering recipe that Sarah Wilson from I Quit Sugar came up with that’s super easy and takes almost no time at all. Plus, it feeds eight people so the whole family can enjoy a healthy, yet festive holiday season.
Ingredients
Cake Filling
- 750g cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tbs yogurt or sour cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) coconut cream
- 1/2 cup (175g) rice malt syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla powder
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
- Extra raspberries and mint leaves, to decorate
Cake Base
- 1 cup (150g) shelled pistachios or hazelnuts
- 1 cup (70g) shredded or 1 cup (90g) desiccated coconut
- 1 cup (100g) almond meal, or other nut meal
- 120g unsalted butter, softened
Method
Mix the flour, sugar, and butter in my mixer with the blade attachment until I get the breadcrumb stage and then freeze, then just remove from the freezer add the rest of the ingredients, and bake. If you double, triple, etc. these first three ingredients to put in the freezer then you only need to weigh out 445g / 1lb then add the remaining ingredients to bake ONE cake and save the rest for another time.
- Preheat the oven to 320°. Line the base and sides of a 23-inch springform pan with baking paper.
- For the cheesecake base, whiz the nuts in a food processor until semi-fine. Add the coconut, almond meal, and butter and rub with your fingertips to make a dough. (The more you rub, the more you’ll release the oils in the nuts and achieve the right doughy consistency.) Add more butter if required. Press into the pan, covering the base and sides to an even thickness. Bake for 5–8 minutes until starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
- Meanwhile, place raspberries in a blender and slowly drizzle in enough water to make a puree. Transfer to a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until raspberries thicken to a syrup-like consistency. Allow cooling.
- Combine the cream cheese, yogurt, coconut cream, syrup, egg, and vanilla powder in a large bowl using a wooden spoon. Don’t over-mix, and try to keep the aeration to a minimum while stirring (too much air will make the filling puff up and then collapse during cooking).
- Spoon half the mixture into the cold base and smooth surface. Dot teaspoons of raspberry sauce over cheesecake surface. Using a skewer, swirl raspberry over cheesecake surface. Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture over and smooth surface. Return to the oven for 20–30 minutes until the mixture pulls away from the base a little and the center is custard-like (don’t overcook).
- Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to firm before serving. Decorate with extra raspberries and mint leaves. Be sure to allow the cheesecake to cool for several hours before serving; otherwise, it can taste too eggy.
Mini Chocolate Souffle Cakes
Who says you can’t enjoy mouth-watering, gooey chocolate souffle when you cut out sugar? Certainly not Paleo blogger Irena Macri! She’s come up with an ingenious way to recreate the chocolate souffle into something everyone can devour. Even without the sugar, never underestimate the power of souffle!
