When a brownie meets cheesecake in a vegan remake you get a thing of real beauty. I was inspired to create this recipe following the popularity of my Baked Vegan Cheesecake, as I wanted to create a simple alternative for those busy bees, but one that wouldn’t compromise the flavour -et voila,  a hybrid of the most loved desserts!

If your reading this feeling skeptical about the idea of blending cashew nuts and naming it a cheesecake then don’t worry, I was also in your shoes. It wasn’t until I gave it a try and saw for my self what I was missing in avoiding this dessert –  the nuts (when soaked) blended with dates and coconut yogurt create a decadently smooth cheesecake-like batter, which when set becomes irresistibly silky.

If I haven’t convinced you yet then how about this: the cheesecake is high in protein and a source of healthy omega three fatty acids, so it can even be eaten as a breakfast or after a workout. It is sweetened with only dates, and is completely gluten-free, meeting all of your dietary requirement needs, but let’s not forget that it is also delicious and a perfect way to impress and surprise the non-plant-based folk in your life!

Ingredients 

For the base:

150g hazelnuts

50g oats

100g dates

50g raisins

2 tbs cacao powder

Pinch of sea salt

 

For the cheesecake layer:

2 cups cashews (soaked overnight)

1/2 cup coconut yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

3 tablespoons maple syrup

 

For the berry layer:

200g mixed frozen berries

2 tablespoons of the cheesecake layer

1 teaspoon chia seeds

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Method

The brownie: place the hazelnuts and oats in a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse until coarse breadcrumb forms. 

Next, add the dates (soak these in hot water for 10 minutes if hard), raisins, cacao powder and a pinch of salt, and blend until a dough forms.

Press the brownie mix into an even layer in a lined loaf tin and leave in the fridge whilst making the other components.

The cheesecake: place your soaked cashews, and coconut yogurt in a high-speed blender and mix until a smooth and creamy batter forms – this should resemble cream cheese.

Next, add the vanilla and maple, and blend again. Give the mix a taste and adjust the sweetness to your preference.

Remove your brownie base from the fridge and spread the cashew cream over the top evenly, leaving around 2 tablespoons for the berry layer. Place the cheesecake in the freezer for at least 20 minutes before adding the final layer.

The Berry layer: blend the frozen berries and saved chew cream to form a smooth paste, then add the maple and blend again.

next, fold in the chia seeds with a spoon and let this sit for at least 10 minutes so that it thickens.

finally, gently spread the ‘jam’ over the cheesecake layer and place in the freezer for a further 20 minutes to allow it to set.

When you’re ready to serve, simply slice the cheesecake and enjoy! I always like to let the slices sit at room temperature for around 5 minutes before eating, this lets them melt to a creamier consistency!

If you enjoy this recipe, and would like to see more, please like this post, and check out my Instagram @wikis.vital.way where you can find more delicious ideas!