Raw As I Can Get Cashew Cheesecake

HA, fooled you. One more planned blog post. Let´s hope I am safe and sound in Barcelona.

I love cheesecake. I could eat an entire cheesecake, yet I haven't had the motivation to try and make a sugar free version of real cheesecake.

However, I discovered at WOW (the raw foodist restaurant I am in love with) that I also love raw cashew cheesecake. I could easily eat an entire raw cheesecake, but I don't live near WOW anymore...so this is kind of a tribute to my long, lost love.

Fortunately, there is an abundance of raw, sugar free, cashew cheesecake recipes available on the internet and I already had 10 bookmarked (I counted)...I compared them to each other while I was getting ready to make this recipe, and they are all pretty similar, sometimes with a a twist (fruit, cocoa, carob...). I picked out things I liked from each recipe I read, but I found this one for White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake to be really straightforward and helpful. However, I wanted mine to be as close to WOW's as possible, so I kept the filling plain and added berries for topping.

I ate this as a dessert to my Raw Almond Burger. It was very lemony and so delicious. Although I shared with my family, I ate about half of the entire cake...

I am pretty sure my "raw" pecans and cashews were not really raw...but it was the best I could do for now. Also, I used maple syrup instead of honey, which is not raw...but maple syrup season just ended, and I have 6 bottles in my cupboard.

Raw Cashew Cheesecake
(serves 8)

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1/2 cup raw pecans
• 80 grams (4) soft Medjool dates
• 6 grams (1/2 tsp) vanilla
• 2 grams (1/4 tsp) fine sea salt
• a handful of unsweetened, shredded coconut

Filling:

• 1 1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked if they're actually raw, but don't bother otherwise)
• Juice of 1 lemons
• 56 grams (1/4 cup, I think) coconut butter
• 80 grams (1/4 cup) maple syrup
• 2 grams (1/4 tsp) fine sea salt
• 24 grams (2 tsp) vanilla

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, combine pecans, dates, salt and vanilla.

2. In a spring form pan, or a pie dish lined with parchment paper, scatter a bit of shredded coconut, then press crust mixture evenly.

3. Process the ingredients for the filling until it forms a very creamy paste. All traces of cashew crumbs should be gone. Taste now and adjust sweetness to your tastes.

4. Scoop filling into dish and spread evenly. Store in freezer until firm.
5. Remove from freezer 15-30 minutes before you want to eat it—it tastes sweeter and feels nicer when its had time to soften.

Unraw Topping:

Ingredients:

• handful of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries

Instruction:

1. In a saucepan, over low-medium heat, warm berries until they release their juices and become soft.

2. Spoon onto cheesecake slice.

This time, for real, is my last planned ahead blog post. I'm be back in like three weeks.