This classic cheesecake will make anyone want to go raw. The crunchy, salted texture of the crust, the creamy cake, and the sweet, tart cherries make this one of the superstar desserts in my collection.
Serves 12
Soak time: 2 hours Prep time: 45 minutes Chill time: 120 minutes
Ingredients
Crust
225g Walnuts, soaked 6-8hrs and dehydrated – if you do not have a dehydrator place them in the oven on a low heat for half an hour
48g medjool dates
30g palm sugar
20g cacao powder
44g cacao nibs
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Filling
3 cups cashews, soaked 2 hours
1 cup basic nut milk – if you don’t want to make your own nut milk, Almond milk is ok.
255g agave nectar
60ml lemon juice
30ml organic vanilla extract
30g lecithin powder – Sunflower lecithin is a better choice as most lecithin is made of soy (and most soy products are genetically modified)
164g cacao butter, warmed to liquid
Topping
2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and thawed
Method
Crust
In a food processor, grind the walnuts into a flour.
Add the dates and palm sugar and process until incorporated. Add the cacao powder, cacao nibs, and sea salt and process again until the mixture starts to stick together.
Reserve 60g of the crust for the topping.
Spread the mixture evenly into a 23cm springform pan lined with baking paper. Starting in the centre, press the mixture firmly and work your way out. Make the crust as even as possible. Don’t forget the edges.
Filling
Place the cashews, nut milk, agave, lemon juice, and vanilla into a high power blender and process until very smooth. Add the lecithin and cacao butter and blend again.
Pour the filling onto the crust and smooth using an offset spatula.
Spread 155g of the cherries over the top of the filling, staggering them evenly.
Use a toothpick to gently push the cherries into the filling. Alternatively, you can spread the cherries over the crust and pour the filling over them. I prefer to place them myself so I have an evenly polka-dotted cheesecake.
Spread the remaining cherries over the top in the empty areas. Gently press the cherries half way down into the mixture with your finger.
Sprinkle the reserved crust mix lightly over the top.
Place the cheesecake in the freezer for 2 hours. Let thaw before serving.
Store in the freezer for 1 month or in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Variation: Substitute your favourite berries in place of cherries.
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