Mini Raw Strawberry Rose Ice Cream Cakes with Chocolate

 

I love the fact that Valentine's day gives me an excuse to make strawberry desserts in February.  And I have been making lots of them...including a strawberry rose ice cream cake with chocolate.  I told my boyfriend Eric that I would bring over a dessert to share with him last week and I thought what better than a mini cake for us to enjoy together. 

 



 

I know it is winter, and to some ice cream may be out of season, but seriously, if you make this cake and sit under a warm blanket with your special someone (or by yourself in your pjs) and share it you will not notice that it is cold.  Plus, I am an ice cream all year kind of girl.  I added strawberries and rosewater to my raw vegan ice cream base, folded in chopped dark chocolate and set it atop a crunchy chocolate crust.

 

 

It was heavenly!  Eric and I polished it off in no time.  The creamy filling sweet and aromatic with rose, studded with rich dark chocolate chunks that melted in my mouth, and the decadent crunchy (cookie crust as Eric called it) was the perfect base.  It was so romantic to share it as well.  This would be perfect for Valentine's day to share with your sweetie, but you don't have to wait until then to make it.

 

Mini Raw Strawberry Rose Ice Cream Cakes with Chocolate
Makes 2 4 inch cakes

crust:
3/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup finely shredded, dried coconut
1/2 cup sprouted, dried buckwheat
2 Tbsp cacao powder
4-6 dates
a pinch sea salt

Ice Cream:
1/2 cup coconut water
1 cup organic strawberries
1 cups young coconut meat (or raw cashews, soaked 4 hours and drained if unavailable)
1cups soaked raw cashews, drained (soaked at least 4 hours)
1/4 cup raw agave nectar or raw honey or raw coconut nectar
seeds of one vanilla bean
1 tsp rosewater
a pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1/2 cup chopped raw chocolate plus additional for garnish
4 sliced organic strawberries for garnish

For the crust, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until finely ground and starting to hold together when squeezed (add more dates if not sticky enough). Press into the bottoms of two four inch springform pans, sprayed with non-stick spray and lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
Add coconut water to a food processor, along with berries, cashews, coconut, agave nectar, vanilla, rosewater, sea salt and oil. Process until smooth, then with the processor running, add the coconut oil slowly and process until well incorporated, about a minute. Pour the strained mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to directions. Remove from ice cream maker, stir in 1/2 cup chopped chocolate, and pour into the prepared crusts. Set in the freezer for about 4 hours, or overnight. When ready to serve, garnish the tops of the cakes with berry slices and more chopped chocolate. Serve!