Since trying out some of the coconut recipes in The Coconut Cookbook (courtesy of the good guys at Raglan Coconut Yoghurt) I’ve been inspired to look for more ways to use coconut milk. I already mix it with chia seeds for a breakfast treat, and of course it’s a go to for Thai curries, but it’s so yummy – I went on the hunt for more ways to use it!! And I came across this lovely recipe for a Blueberry Lemon Mousse Cake on an English website. I didn’t follow it to the letter so I attach my version of this delicious dessert which is light but still packs a punch in the flavour department.
The Base
90g Pitted Medjool Dates (or normal dried dates that have been soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes and then drained)
Pinch Sea Salt
1tsp Vanilla Extract (or the seeds of one vanilla pod)
70g Shredded Coconut
35g Ground Almonds
30g Coconut Oil (melted)
1. Line the base and sides of a 23cm springform tin with baking paper.
2. In a food processor, chop the dates with the salt and vanilla to form a thick paste.
3. Add the shredded coconut, ground almonds and coconut oil and pulse to combine.
4. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and using the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass, spread the mixture evenly in the tin and press down firmly. Put the tin in the fridge to firm up while you make the filling.
The Filling
400ml Can Coconut Cream
150g Cashew Nuts (soaked for 3-4 hours in water and a pinch of sea salt)
325g Blueberries (defrosted if frozen rather than fresh)
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
110g Honey
75g Coconut Oil (melted)
1. Use a blender to process 150g of the blueberries, the lemon zest and juice, honey, coconut oil and a pinch of sea salt to form a purple juice.
2. Drain and rinse the cashews and then add them to the blender and process until smooth.
3. Open the can of coconut cream and using a spoon, scoop out the solid white cream that settles on the top into a bowl*. You need 240g of cream, but use a little of the thinner coconut water to top it up if you need to. Whip the cream using an electric whisk until it has thickened slightly. (My mixture did not thicken much at all, but this did not seem to affect the end result).
4. Pour the purple contents of the blender into the coconut cream and lightly mix again until everything is combined. Don’t mix too much or you will lose all the lovely air you incorporated earlier!!
5. Fold in the rest of the blueberries and pour over the prepared base. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm – overnight is ideal.
6. When the cake is set, gently remove it from the mould to a serving plate and decorate with the remaining blueberries. I added pistachios and toasted thread coconut too, but this is optional!!
* The original Blueberry Lemon Mousse Cake recipe suggested putting the can of coconut cream in the fridge overnight so the cream rises to the top and solidifies, making it easier to scoop out. I have found different brands of coconut cream have different consistencies and the brand I used did not solidify at all. But all brands should have a definite ‘cream’ layer and a thinner layer underneath if left to sit.
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