I remember tasting cheesecake once as a kid, at my aunt's house at Christmas, and finding it so sour to my probably 8 year old, candy-ruined taste buds that I didn't try another slice until I was on a date in college more than a decade later... And on that date, not only did I discover that rich, creamy cheesecake topped with drizzly strawberry glaze is the decadent dessert equivalent of sex (and as close as I was going to get that night, by the way…), I also learned, when the waiter brought the check, that, ounce for ounce, good restaurant cheesecake has about the same value as 24 carat gold… Yow…
For better and for worse, good vegan cheesecake tends to follow the same rule. Done right, it can, like marriage (don't waste this "gold" on any mere "date"), be the sensual equivalent of all life's greatest pleasures rolled into one... But don't spare your wallet. You're looking for true dessert love here, not some tawdry one meal stand…
The crust:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups raw macadamia nuts
1/2 cup dates
1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut
1/4 teaspoon salt
The "cream cheese" filling:
Ingredients:
3 cups raw cashews
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup agave syrup
3/4 cup coconut oil (which we purchase by the gallon at our local Mennonite-owned bulk food store – one big advantage of living in the country. If you can't find coconut oil where you live, you can order it through the Felix at Fifty Webstore!)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
As little water as possible, to facilitate blending – no more than 1/4 cup!
The strawberry glaze:
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen strawberries
1/2 cup dates
Directions:
The crust:
1. Combine the crust ingredients – EXCEPT FOR THE COCONUT! – In a food processor. Blend until well processed.
2. Distribute the coconut in an even layer across the bottom of a cheesecake pan. Press the macadamia and date mixture from the food processor down into the coconut to form the crust.
The "cream cheese" filling:
3. Combine all "cream cheese" filling ingredients in a blender. Puree, adding as little water as possible to facilitate blending. Pour mixture on top of crust.
4. Move cheesecake to the freezer to firm up. About 1 hour.
The strawberry glaze:
5. Combine strawberries and dates in blender. Puree until smooth. Drizzle over the cheesecake, once it has properly firmed up in the freezer.
6. Return cheesecake to the freezer for at least 5 hours (8 is better).
6. Let thaw half an hour before serving.