Blueberry Cheesecake
In a word: yum. So much yum. This dessert is creamy, luscious decadence at its plant-based finest. Yes, it is nut-based. Yes it is high in fat, with the rich, fatty acids of nuts and seeds, including an abundance of omega-3. Every now and then, I lose my mind and make something this naughty.😊
I used frozen blueberries for the topping in this recipe but you could certainly use fresh. I also used a rather unusual ingredient for me, which is cocoa butter. I decided on this instead of coconut oil to help with the structure and it worked well. What’s the difference in fat content? Nothing. They are both 100% fat. But there is a difference in the saturated fat content with coconut oil being a whopping 92% and cocoa butter weighing in at about 40%. Still high for sure. Keep in mind, cocoa butter is not the same as coconut butter. Cocoa butter is from the cocoa bean and is used in making chocolate. This dessert is not something to consume without taking into account its richness. Eat sensibly and enjoy special treats like this as the exception, not the rule. Mountain Man says it’s “splurge-worthy!” Onward…
Ingredients
~ for the crust
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pitted medjool dates
½ tsp ground cinnamon
~ for the filling
2 cups raw cashews, soaked at least 5 hours, then rinsed and drained
¼ cup hemp seeds
¼ cup cocoa butter
½ cup liquid sweetener of your choice (I used maple syrup)
2 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
~ for the topping
2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed (or fresh)
2 TBS fruit-only blueberry preserves
1 TBS tapioca starch + 1 TBS water
1 tsp lemon juice
Method
Place the blueberries, preserves and lemon juice into a saucepan and simmer until hot.
Mix the tapioca with the water so you have a slurry and slowly pour into the blueberry mixture, stirring gently until it thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Place all crust ingredients in a food processor and process until the mixture forms a sticky mass that holds together when you pinch it.
Line a 6" springform pan with parchment or wax paper.
Press the crust dough into the pan and push it up the sides a bit, as evenly as possible.
Melt the cocoa butter on the stovetop on low, whisking continuously. Heat until just melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add the filling ingredients, including the melted cocoa butter, to a high speed blender (I recommend Vitamix!) and blend until smooth. Add small amounts of water if needed to get a smooth texture, scraping down the sides as you go.
Pour mixture into the crust and add love. 💗
Place into the freezer to set for about 1 hour.
Remove the cake from the freezer, spoon the topping over it and place back into the freezer. Freeze overnight to set.
Remove cake from freezer and unmold it from the springform pan. Wait about 30 minutes before serving so it softens up a bit and keep it frozen to store.
Makes one amazingly luscious cake. Enjoy!
