Thursday, June 12, 2014

summer recipes: vegan cheesecakes.


it is no secret that i have the fiercest of sweet tooth's. 
and cheesecake is hands down, a favorite!

while we are trying to eat a primarily vegan diet, i still want to incorporate some of those delicious treats, and this vegan cheesecake recipe is definitely a win!!


INGREDIENTS
CRUST
1 cup of pitted dates (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes and then drained)
1 cup raw walnuts or almonds
FILLING
1.5 cups raw cashews (soaked in water 4-6 hours and then drained)
1 large lemon, juiced
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey if not vegan
OPTIONAL FLAVOR ADD-INS
2 Tbsp salted natural peanut butter
1/4 cup wild blueberries
3 Tbsp caramel sauce

DIRECTIONS
add dates to a food processor and blend until it forms into a ball. remove and set aside.

add nuts and process into a meal. add dates back in and blend until a loose dough forms. (it should stick together when you squeeze a bit of it together with your fingers)

lightly grease a standard, 12 slot muffin tin. To make removing the cheesecakes easier, cut strips of parchment paper and lay them in the slots. This creates little tabs that makes removing them easier to pop out once frozen.

scoop in 1 Tbsp amounts of crust and press with fingers. to pack it down, use a small glass or the back of a spoon to compact it and really press it down. if it sticks, separate the crust and the glass with a small piece of parchment. Set in freezer to firm up.

add all filling ingredients to a blender and mix until very smooth. for the coconut milk, you can scoop the "cream" off the top because it provides a richer texture. if it won't come together, add a touch more lemon juice or agave, or a splash more coconut milk liquid.

taste and adjust seasonings as needed. if adding peanut butter, add to the blender and mix until thoroughly combined. if flavoring with blueberry or caramel, wait and swirl on top of plain cheesecakes (optional).

divide filling evenly among the muffin tins. tap a few times to release any air bubbles, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard - about 4-6 hours.

once set, remove by tugging on the tabs or loosening them with a butter knife. they should pop right out. keep in the freezer for up to 1-2 weeks.

optional: you can set them out for 10 minutes before serving to soften, or simply eat them frozen.


*origional recipe found at minimalist baker. 

1 comment:

  1. Cheesecake! Mmmmm!!

    Elizabeth
    www.allkindsofthingsblog.com

    ReplyDelete