Sweet Sundays: Ricki Heller ~ What do you consider to be the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day? Perhaps you’re a fan of flowers.  Or maybe a diamond or other sparkly jewels. You might dream of silky lingerie or (if you’re my husband) an expensive car.

Me, I go for chocolate.

To my mind, nothing says “I love you” quite like chocolate (well, perhaps the actual words, “I love you” do come in a close second). After all, chocolate-based desserts nourish your soul in a way nothing else can. And as a bonus, this legendary sweet treat (the kind with over 70% cacao content) offers up flavonoids (a type of antioxidant) and helps to increase serotonin levels (often called the “feel-good” chemical) in the body, which translates to a sense of satisfaction and happiness. No wonder chocolate is so intimately associated with Valentine’s Day; apparently more than 58 million pounds of chocolate will be sold in the US during the week around this day.

Since chocolate is my favorite food, I decided to make something that included chocolate for Valentine’s Day, pairing it with another romantically rich, luxurious treat: cheesecake. If you’ve ever drooled over those mini chocolate-covered cheesecake bites offered by a famous food conglomerate, here’s your chance to reproduce the appeal without any of the unhealthy attributes. The “cheesecake” centers in these treats are dairy free, refined sugar free, gluten free and vegan—and they’re low on the glycemic index and suitable for Type II diabetics, too. 

So feel free to bite right in to these miniature nuggets of love this Valentine’s Day. They may be chilly, but they’re guaranteed to melt your sweetie’s heart.

Miniature Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Bites of Love

For the “Cheesecake”:

• 1 heaping cup (160 g) raw natural cashews
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) coconut sugar (or agave nectar)
• 10-20 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to taste (or use more sugar)
• 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp (5 ml) pure lemon extract, optional
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) plain or vanilla almond, soy or coconut milk (in a carton, not a can)
• 1 tsp (5 ml) whole chia seeds, ground in a coffee grinder to a fine powder (about 2 tsp/10 ml powder)
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) lemon zest

Chocolate Coating**:

• 4 ounces (110 g) good quality, unsweetened chocolate (I find Baker’s is too bitter for this purpose)
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin coconut oil, preferably organic
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) carob powder, sifted
• 20-30 drops stevia liquid, to taste (I recommend keeping it bittersweet—too much stevia leaves an aftertaste)

Make the cheesecake filling: Place cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to an hour, then drain and rinse (or, if you have time, soak in room-temperature water for 6-12 hours, then drain and rinse).

Line a small square container (about 2 cup/480 ml capacity) with plastic wrap, or set out a dozen silicone mini muffin cups.

Place cashews and remaining cheesecake ingredients in a high-powered blender (such as a VitaMix) and blend until perfectly smooth.  Transfer the mixture to the container or distribute evenly among the muffin cups. If using the single container, freeze until just firm (about 3-4 hours), then invert onto a cutting board and peel off the plastic; cut into 9 cubes.  Return to the freezer until perfectly hard.

Meanwhile, make the coating**: in a small, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the chocolate with the coconut oil.  Whisk in the carob and stevia until smooth.  Transfer to a small, deep bowl.

Assemble the bites: Using the frozen cubes (one at a time), dip the bottom of one cube into the chocolate mixture to coat.  Then place the cube on the tines of a fork (closer to the tip than to the handle) and hold the fork over the bowl.  Using a spoon, spoon more chocolate mixture over the cube so that it coats the top and sides of the cube; be sure to cover all of the “cheesecake” filling. Gently tap the handle of the fork against the bowl to allow any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl, then gently push the cube off the fork onto a clean plastic cutting board or plate covered with plastic wrap.  The coating should begin to firm up fairly quickly.

Repeat until all the cubes are covered.  If you have leftover chocolate, drizzle it in a decorative way over the tops of the cubes.  Place in the refrigerator until the coating is firm and the cheesecake filling is defrosted, at least 1 hour, then remove from the board or plate and enjoy. Makes 9 cubes. Store, covered, in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

**Note:  If you are okay with sugar, simply use 6 ounces (165 g) of semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips plus 1 tsp (5 ml) coconut oil in place of all the other coating ingredients. 

Article, recipe, and photos by Ricki Heller, author of Sweet Freedom, a dessert cookbook free of dairy, wheat, eggs, and refined sugars. Ricki currently blogs new recipes that are ACD and SCD-friendly (dairy-free, low glycemic, gluten-free, and vegan) at her blog, Diet, Dessert and Dogs. On her blog, you can also find her two latest e-cookbooks: Desserts without Compromise and Anti Candida Feast Book.