This dessert is so creamy and rich that nobody ever guesses it is raw and vegan. It makes for the perfect indulgent centrepiece on Shavuot / Seder night or anytime during Pesach / the rest of the year. Serve in small pieces as it is very filling.
Lara Balsam, Director of JVS shares with Ta’am some of her brilliant and tasty vegan recipes, making catering for vegans around the table a treat for all. This cake uses a host of raw ingredients, meaning there is no actual bake time required either, making it an ideal treat (vegan or not) for those who don’t have access to an oven.
And if you enjoy this tasty ‘cheesecake’, remember that this will work easily for Shavuot too. Make sure to check out Lara’s ‘cream-free’ vegan creamy mushroom soup too.
Ingredients
For the base:
1 cup of nuts: pecans / almonds / hazelnuts, blitzed up in a blender
1 cup of dates / prunes / raisins
1 pinch sea salt
For the filling:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked (either in boiling water for 20 minutes or in cold water for 5 hours) and rinsed
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons cashew butter
½ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup liquid sweetener, i.e. agave nectar / maple syrup
½ cup raw cacao powder
½ cup water
½ tsp salt
For the garnish:
Sprinkle a small handful of cocoa nibs / crushed nuts / fruit on the top
Method:
1. To make the base: Add the dried fruit and sea salt to the pre-blitzed nuts and blend in a food processor until almost fully combined. Press the crust into the bottom of the pan (preferably a silicon one), about ¼ inch thick. Now you can start making the delicious filling.
2. Add the cashews, liquid sweetener of choice, salt and water to your food processor. Blend until 100% smooth. You may need to pause to scrape down the sides of the processor to ensure that everything is incorporated.
3. Next add the cacao powder, cashew butter and coconut oil to the cashew mixture and blend them all together.
4. Pour the filling over the base, and place in the freezer for 4 hours – or until it is solid all the way through.
5. Remove the cheesecake from the tin/mould and place in the fridge. Garnish with your preferred topping.
Pictures and Recipes by Lara Balsam, Director of JVS
