I'm going to my friend A's house tomorrow for her and her boyfriend's 4th of July party. A has Celiac's, so I always make something GF when we hang out.
I just finished making Meyer Lemon and Blueberry Icebox Cake. The recipe calls for almonds, almond milk, and meyer lemon juice.I substituted walnuts for the almonds in the crust, regular 1% cow's milk, and regular lemon juice because I was in a rush to get out of Market Basket before the post-work shitshow arrived. It's the first purposely GF thing I've made that's turned out well, other than brownies from a mix. I tasted from the spoons after I'd set it in the springform pan and the layers are pretty dang good.
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw almonds
- 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped, pitted Medjool dates
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large frozen bananas cut into 1-2 inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons almond milk
- 1½ teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract
- 1 cup frozen organic blueberries
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes preferably overnight
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, in liquid form
- ½ cup raw honey
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest
- 1 – 2 tablespoons water, if needed
- ½-3/4 cups sliced raw almonds for garnish
Instructions
- Make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade combine the almonds, oats, dates, and salt. Process until the ingredients begin to clump together, about 1- 1½ minutes. Transfer the mixture to an 8-inch spring form pan, gently pressing the crust into the pan and around the edges until the crust layer is level and smooth.
- Blueberry “Ice Cream” Layer: In the bowl of a clean food processor fitted with the “S” blade combine the frozen banana pieces, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Process until the mixture resembles the consistency of soft serve ice cream; this will take at least 1-2 minutes. If your food processor seems to be struggling feel free to add another tablespoon of almond milk. Once the bananas are to the right consistency add the frozen blueberries and process again, scraping the sides as necessary, until the berries are incorporated and the mixture resembles soft serve ice cream. Pour the “ice cream” over the crust and smooth the top with a silicone spatula. Gently tap the pan against the kitchen counter to release any air bubbles that are trapped in the filling and place in the freezer until set, about 1½ – 2 hours.
- Meyer Lemon “Cheesecake” & Almond Layers: In the bowl of a clean food processor fitted with the “S” blade or in a high powered blender combine the soaked cashews, coconut oil, honey, lemon zest and juice. Blend until completely smooth, stopping to scrape the sides as necessary. This step can take anywhere from 1-3 minutes depending on the strength of your machine. Pour the blended cashew layer over the partially frozen blueberry layer. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula until even and gently tap the pan against the kitchen counter to release any air bubbles that are trapped in the filling. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top of the cashew layer and press in gently with the palm of your hand. Place the pan back in the freezer for 6-8 hours or overnight until completely set.
- To serve: Place the spring form pan on the counter at room temperature and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Gently remove the side wall of the pan from the cake. Slice and serve. Store any uneaten cake completely wrapped in the freezer.
Oh, and happy Fourth of July!