Coffee Coconut Cheesecake

First time's the charm?

Sometimes ideas work out much better in my head than in reality. This is generally the case after pursuing Pinterest. I'll have this plan to make exquisite personalized stationary and cards from hand-craved potatoes stamps after seeing beautiful block prints and I end up wasting a few potatoes and making a mess with paint before throwing it all out. I can't be the only one?... Right?

Well yesterday I finally embarked on one of those crackpot ideas that actually exceeded my expectations. The kind of breakthrough that keeps me trying ridiculous things.

I present to you: coffee coconut cheesecake with a peanut-almond date crust. It's luscious. I made it less than 24 hours ago and exactly two pieces are left now. It's not all my doing, I promise – I brought it to a girls night. My guinea pigs were in luck this time.

I've been hung up on using instant decaf coffee powder in a dessert for the last week or so. Then yesterday while browsing one of my favorite paleo blogs, omgpaleo, for inspiration, I came across her using dates and coconut for Triple Chocolate Mousse Cups. But this combination set me off on the path to success!!

Recipe

 

Crust (Rough estimates, since I was winging it. Have to remake and edit this later)

3/4 cup rolled oats

5-6 T. butter, melted

1/3 cup peanuts,

1/2 cup ground almonds

1/2 cup dried, pitted dates

1-2 T. honey 

1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until mixed. If you don't have one, finely chop peanuts and dates and mix ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Press mixture into a 9-inch spring-form pan and bake for 10 minutes.

Filling

16 oz. Phillaphila cream cheese, extra light (3% fat)

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 T. Nescafe Gold instant decaf coffee (99.9% caffeine free in the EU) *

2 T. Bailey's*
1/3 cup honey

2 T. ground almond

1/3 cup coconut shavings

* adjust to taste
 

1. While the crust bakes, use a handheld mixer to cream the cream cheese, vanilla and honey (start with 1/3 cup) until smooth and fluffy. Taste batter and adjust sweetness.
2. In a small seperate bowl or cup, mix together coffee poweder with Bailey's until smooth and mix in. If not using Bailey's cream the coffee powder into the cheese mixture.)
3. Mix in one egg at a time.
4. Once the crust is done, pour in the cream cheese mixture and bake for approx. 15 mins.
5. Take out of oven and sprinkle coconut shavings over the cake and dust edges with ground almonds.
6. Return to oven and bake another 5-10 mins. or until middle is solid and coconut begins to become light brown on the edges. Allow to cool, place in fridge for an hour. Serve as is or with whipped cream.