Supplies

  • 200g raw cashews
  • 600g ginger biscuits
  • 75g shelled pistachios
  • 250g unsalted butter, melted
  • 500g cream cheese, at room temperature, chopped
  • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 165ml maple syrup, plus extra to serve
  • 100ml whipping cream
  • 4 gelatine leaves
  • 400g white chocolate, melted
  • 200g finely grated carrot, squeezed to remove excess liquid
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 400ml double cream
  • 25g pistachios, slivered (to garnish)

Steps

  1. Soak cashews overnight in a bowl of cold water.
  2. The next day, grease a 22cm springform baking tin and line the base with baking paper.
  3. Place the biscuits and pistachios in a food processor and whiz to fine crumbs. Add the butter and pulse again to combine. Transfer to prepared pan and press firmly into the base and all the way up the sides, then place in the fridge to chill whilst you get on with the filling.
  4. To prepare the filling, drain the cashews and rinse under cold water, then drain again.
  5. Add the cashews to a food processor and whiz until smooth. Add the cream cheese, vanilla, maple syrup and whipping cream, and whiz until combined.
  6. Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Squeeze excess liquid from the gelatine, then place gelatine in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until just melted. Add gelatine and melted chocolate to cream cheese mixture and whiz to combine. Transfer to a bowl and fold through the carrot.
  7. Combine the spices in a bowl and add them to the cream cheese mixture, stirring to combine. Pour into the biscuit case and flatten the top with a palette knife, then chill for at least 5 hours, or overnight, to set. Toss the remaining spices with the pecans and set aside.
  8. When ready to serve, whisk the cream to soft peaks. Top the cake with the cream, scatter with slivered pistachios, some orange zest and drizzle with extra maple syrup.