Share:
Mini Pistachio Cheesecakes
Prep time:5 mins- Cook time:10 mins
Servings:12
This delicious Pistachio Cheesecake recipe is ideal for any upcoming celebrations or dinner parties. Following this recipe will result in 24 tasty mini healthy desserts to serve 12 (two per serving)!
The key ingredient is, perhaps unsurprisingly, pistachio. Not only do they have a distinctly sweet and buttery flavour making them ideal for dessert recipes, this powerful seed (though commonly known as a culinary nut) provides numerous health benefits. They’re rich in fibre, protein, healthy fats and antioxidants, and may contribute to lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and manage blood sugar levels due to their low glycemic index.
Similarly, the cream cheese and ricotta not only deliver the creamy texture of the cheesecake filling, but also offer high levels of healthy fats and protein. This promotes satiety and can help keep you satisfied for longer after a meal. These cheeses are also a good source of vitamin B12, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium which may support nerve and heart function and metabolism.
To find other tasty dessert recipes that fit into a balanced diet and lifestyle, along with over 950 Mediterranean-style recipes, meal plans, exercise courses and more, sign up to our Programme with a 7-day free trial.
Note: This recipe is perfect for prepping in advance, and keeping in the freezer for up to two months, or until you next have guests to impress round. Simply defrost before serving.
Ingredients
- 120g oats
- 75g pistachios, for base
- 45g salted butter, melted
- 100g dates
- 150g pistachios, for cheesecake mix
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 300g cream cheese, room temperature
- 150g ricotta cheese
- 150g raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to fan forced 160°C/180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with paper.
- Mix together the oats, pistachios for base, and melted butter until the butter is evenly distributed. Spread across the tray and bake for 10 minutes until browned. Set aside to cool.
- While the base mix is baking, fully cover the dates in boiling water and soak for about 15 minutes, until softened.
- Once the base mix is cooled, blitz in a food processor until it forms a sticky crumb. Using a silicone tray with small moulds, divide the base evenly between them and press firmly into the bottom. About 0.5-1cm thickness works well to make 24 mini cheesecakes. Refrigerate until the cheesecake mix is ready.
- Drain the dates but reserve the water for blending. Using a blender or food processor, blitz the dates with enough water to make a paste - for one batch of this recipe we used 75ml/2.6 fl oz of the date water. The more water used, the softer the cheesecake mix will end up.
- Add the pistachios for cheesecake mix, vanilla, and a pinch of salt to the date paste. Blitz until it’s as smooth as you can get it. It helps to start out slow and increase speed gradually.
- In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and ricotta with electric beaters until smooth. Then add in the pistachio/date mix and continue beating until well combined.
- Take the trays with the bases out of the fridge. Top each base with the cheesecake mix until it’s all used up. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Remove from the moulds when ready to serve, top with the raspberries, and enjoy!
Join our email community
Learn more about The Fast 800 approach to healthy living by receiving our free content, health tips and recipes as well as exclusive offers, delivered straight to your inbox.
Notes
- TIP: the cheesecake mix can be a little soft and sticky as there is no setting agent used. These slide out of the moulds really well after being popped in the freezer about 1 hour before taking them out. Alternatively, assemble them into small jars/glasses and eat directly from them with a spoon.
- If you don’t have a silicone tray, you could line a metal muffin tray with individual pieces of baking paper instead. Or serve in containers/jars as mentioned above.
- Please note, we have not tested this recipe as one whole large cheesecake cut into slices.
- Use any fresh berries that are in season, otherwise frozen berries will work well too.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Batch prep and freeze in portions for up to 2 months. Defrost before serving.
- In general, oats are not considered gluten-free. However, evidence does show that uncontaminated oats are well tolerated by most people with coeliac disease. Please choose your oats carefully if you would like to make this recipe gluten-free.