Nutri Natters

Rita’s blog for lovers of real food

Blueberry Cashew “Cheesecake”: gluten-free and vegan

26th January 2020

When is a cheesecake not a cheesecake? When it’s clever mix of cashews and blueberries to make a delicious, creamy berry dessert.  Though I say it myself, I think it tastes better than real cheesecake which can be a bit bland. I used big, juicy English blueberries  but frozen work well too. The blueberry “jam” to serve with  the cake  adds a special touch.

Update January, 2019: Recently, I tried this recipe with the chopped flesh of two ripe mangoes, instead of blueberries, added some lime zest and and swirled in a handful of raspberries.  The chia seed and fruit “jam” was made from raspberries.  In fact, you could use just about any fruit, fresh or frozen. Be creative!

It’s  all-vegan,  gluten- and dairy-free and packed with nutty goodness.

Forward planning: you’ll need to soak the cashews in advance to break down phytic acid which binds to minerals in the nuts. Leave the cake in the freezer for 6 hours to set; don’t forget to let it thaw for at least two hours before serving

Creamy Blueberry Cashew "Cheesecake"

Creamy Blueberry Cashew “Cheesecake”

 

You’ll need a round 8″/20cm cake case, preferably silicone and a food processor

Recipe

For the cheesecake  base:

150 g almonds in their skin (soak for 5 hours or overnight to break down phytic acid for better absorption of minerals)

120 g stoned dates

1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor until they come together to form a dough. Press the mixture into a silicone cake case. If you don’t have a silicone case, line a freezer proof cake case with baking parchment.

For the filling:

220 g of cashews soaked for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight

150 ml of coconut oil

75 ml of water

1-2 tablespoons of liquid sweetener e.g. Yacon or Sweet Freedom

4 drops of vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

200 g of fresh or frozen blueberries

Blend all of the ingredients, except the berries, until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the blueberries and pour the mixture into the cake case. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Place the cake in the freezer for at least 6 hours to set hard.  Remove from the freezer about 2 hours before serving. Tip: It’s easier to remove the cheesecake from the case while still frozen.

Blueberry Jam (optional)

150 g of fresh or frozen blueberries

2 tablespoons of chia seeds

1/2 to 1 tablespoon of liquid sweetener e.g. Sweet Freedom

Heat the berries in a pan with a few teaspoons of water until they start to go mushy. Allow to cool slightly then stir in the chia seeds. Leave the jam for about 15 minutes to thicken and serve with the cheesecake.

You can try this cheesecake with just about any fruit combination. See my suggestion above for mango, lime and raspberry.

Rita

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