Raw sweets
Raw Fig Cake with Amazake and Shio Koji
A no-bake fig and cashew cake on an almond and prune crust, sweetened with amazake and maple syrup and seasoned with a little shio koji. Cardamom, ginger and a layer of raw cacao give it a grown-up flavour. Dairy-free; set in the freezer.
- Serves
- One 10 cm cake (serves 2)
- Time
- 30 minutes (plus soaking the nuts and about 5 hours in the freezer)
Ingredients
Crust
- Almonds3/4 cup
- Prunes25 g
- Maple syrup1 tsp
- Salta pinch
Filling
- Figs2
- Cashews, soaked for about 2 hours1 cup
- Coconut oil, melted over warm water50 ml
- Amazake (thick ama-koji type)2 tbsp
- Maple syrup1 tbsp
- Shio koji1 tsp
- Ground cardamoma pinch
- Ground gingera pinch
- Raw cacao powder1 tbsp
To decorate
- Fig, cut into 8 wedges1
- Blueberriesa few
Method
Make the crust
- Blitz the almonds, prunes, 1 tsp maple syrup and salt in a food processor until fine enough to hold together when pinched.
- Line the base of the tin with cling film. Add the crust and press it down firmly and evenly with your hands.
Make the filling
- Drain the cashews. Put the 2 figs, cashews, melted coconut oil, amazake, 1 tbsp maple syrup, shio koji, cardamom and ginger in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Spoon about 3 tbsp of the filling into a small bowl and mix in the raw cacao powder.
Layer and set
- Pour half the plain filling over the crust, then add the cacao filling, then the rest of the plain filling. Smooth the top and freeze for about 5 hours, until set.
- Unmould and decorate with the fig wedges and blueberries. Move it to the fridge 15–20 minutes before serving so it slices easily and tastes smooth.
Tips
- Raw sweets are not baked; the idea is to keep the ingredients below about 48°C. This cake simply sets in the freezer, so you do not need an oven.
- Amazake is a naturally sweet, alcohol-free drink made from rice koji. This recipe uses the thick, concentrated kind (ama-koji). Find it at Japanese grocery stores or online, or make your own. If you have none, add a little more maple syrup to taste.
- Shio koji is a Japanese seasoning made from rice koji, salt and water. Here it adds depth to the gentle sweetness of the amazake. If you have none, use a small pinch of salt.
- Soaking the cashews softens them, so the filling turns out smooth.
- Melt the coconut oil before adding it so it mixes in evenly and the cake sets firmly.
- If the crust will not hold together, add a little more maple syrup.
- Keeps for about 2 weeks in the freezer. Slice it before freezing and take out just what you need.
A raw sweet full of figs, made with amazake and shio koji (see how to make amazake and shio koji at home). Learn more about raw sweets, or make koji seasonings by hand in UMAMI & KOJI LAB in Tokyo.
First published in ELLE gourmet (Japan).
