Lemony Cheesecake With Berry Sauce (Raw Vegan)

Debra1113's Note:

Mmmm, cheesecake! A healthy, guilt-free version with lots of living enzymes. If you use raw ingredients, and virgin, unrefined, coconut oil (preferably organic), this recipe is so good for you! It looks like a lot of coconut oil, but it works out to less than 1 tbsp per slice, and that's less than the recommended daily amount to get all those wonderful fatty acids they're talking about with coconut oil these days. So, well, hey, have a 2nd slice! :-) We love this cheesecake and we're rarely without one in our freezer "just in case". There are lots of raw cheesecake recipes floating around the 'net, and after trying many of them, this is our version, taking little bits of each and doing what we like with it. I also tend to make more than one at a time, and keep them in the freezer, so I don't have to make them as often. :)

• Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

For the crust

• 2 cups almonds
• 1 cup dates

For the Cheese

• 3 cups cashews (soaked for at least 1 hour)
• 3/4 cup lemon juice, fresh
• 3/4 cup raw honey
• 3/4 cup coconut oil (when liquid, see 2nd step)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 vanilla beans or 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt

For berry sauce

• 3 cups frozen berries
• 1/2 cup dates or 1/4 cup honey

Directions:

1. Soaking the cashews makes them nice and soft, and will help make the cheese smooth, so do try to soak them for a full hour before you start the recipe, if possible. So, if they're not in water yet, get those cashews in some water first! :).
2. Scoop out a little over 3/4 cup of coconut oil in a glass measuring cup, and place measuring cup in a few inches of very warm water, but not reaching the top of the measuring cup. You could do this in the sink or in a large bowl. This is to warm the coconut oil from a solid to a liquid. Stir every couple of minutes while you make the crust, and it will melt faster. If your house is very warm, and your coconut oil is already liquid, you get to skip this step!
3. Place ingredients for crust in a food processor, and process until fine. Press crust mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
4. Check your coconut oil, and double-check measurement once it's all melted.
5. Put all ingredients for cheese into food processor, and process at high speed until very smooth. Adjust to taste.
6. Pour mixture onto crust. Tap the pan on your countertop a few times to remove any air bubbles.
7. Put cheesecake in freezer until firm, at least 3 hours, but I usually do it overnight. The freezer step is important because it sets the mixture. Transfer to fridge and it will be ready to eat after about an hour.
8. To make the berry sauce, blend or process ingredients until smooth, and adjust to taste. Store in airtight jar in the fridge, and spoon a couple of tablespoons onto slices when serving.
9. Note: If it's a very hot day, keep in mind that the cheesecake will melt if it's left out, because of the coconut oil, so leave it in the fridge until just before serving, and all will be fine.

Reviews

[Chef #501927]

This is one fantastic recipe. I am alkilising so substituted almonds for the cashews, which was fine and agave syrup for the honey. It was especially nice when frozen overnight and my family ate it with organic lemon curd on top, fabulous! As I explained the lack of dairy, sugar, wheat, etc, etc to my guests my 8yr old stated, "that defies all the laws of cheesecake!" These "laws" are ready to be broken!!

[Narshmellow]

I just made the cheese part of this (I never liked raw crusts with dates in and I always just liked the cheese part anyway). I soaked the cashews 8 hours, (to deactivate enzyme inhibitors), so I put in just a little water. I just dumped everything in to my blender without melting the oil. I also used agave nectar since honey is overpowering to me with a light taste of lemon. After tasting I added 1/2 tsp lemon extract and after tasting the completed dish this morning next time I make it I will put in 1 tsp because I wanted a little more lemony taste. (I might also put in some zest and see how that works). Alone, it takes a few spoonfuls to get use to the flavor. So I added frozen raspberries to the bowl before putting it in the freezer and wow, the combination of the two was really good. I enjoyed this. Letting it sit overnight lets the flavors meld, and I grew up eating frozen cheesecake, so thumbs up! I will be making this again. Thanks. Update - I made this again but only 1/3 of the recipe since I'm the only raw foodist in my house and the whole recipe here makes a lot. That being said, here's how I make it now. To 1/3 of the recipe I use 1 tsp lemon extract, 1/2-1 cup raspberries, and the zest of 2 of the three lemons gives it a zing that's nice. I have also used a mixture of lemon and lime juice. Also, I have made a blueberry cheesecake which was awesome. To the 1/3 of the recipe again I added 1 tsp blueberry extract (Watkins carries this) instead of the lemon, replace the lemon juice with 1 lime juiced and 1/2 cup blueberries when you blend, then I put in 1/2-1 cup whole wild blueberries and folded them in. I made a crust out of pecans, oats, agave nectar, oil, cinnamon and salt.

[fairyamykins]

This was a great little recipe, I did do some last minute changes, though. I used a vegan gram cracker base instead of using almonds and dates mainly due to the fact they are both expensive. I was dubious at the start, but it tasted fantastic! There was an actual argument between my flatmates and my guests about who was allowed the 4 remaining pieces for seconds. NEXT TIME I'M MAKING TWO!! also I would recommend defrosting it early because it did take over 2 hours.