Gluten free + Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake. A swirly blackberry puree over a cashew cream layer and chocolate crust bottom.

 I’ve heard a rumour that there are actually still paces in the Western world where it still feels like summer right now…at least, it still feels hot outside. Personally, I’m not sure I buy it. We’ve had a steady week or two of mostly cloudy days with spells of rain on and off all day. In those places, these raw blackberry cheesecake slices are the perfect treat to cool you down. If you live in what may as well be the arctic like I do ( I kid, I kid) then this raw blackberry cheesecake are still the perfect treat to brighten your day.

I think one of the good things about living in a place with where the weather actually changes and the rain almost never stops is that I’m becoming more in tune with seasonal eating. It could have just been that I never bothered to pay too much attention to things like this before, but now I’m more aware of when the seasons change and the plants begin to bare their fruits. While I wouldn’t mind a few more sunny days throughout the week, I love all the growth that comes with the rain. Every new shower brings about a load of new blackberries in the wild blackberry bush out back. I say wild because the bush takes up the entire left side of the  garden and even the stairs that lead up to mine and Mike’s room. You can’t walk up those without treading over loose vines and stabbing thorns – I love it.

There’s also a novelty, even pride you get from picking/growing your own food. We’ve done a lot of picking and eating of blackberries this year, but before September ends and the new fall fruits and veggies make their way out I had to make something special with our little harvest to share on the blog with you guys.

With all of Mike’s food intolerances: dairy, gluten, even eggs can sometimes be an issue, I thought making a raw blackberry cheesecake would be the perfect thing. If you’ve never made a vegan cheesecake using soaked cashew nuts before, you need to change that right now. It sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. All you need is a decent blender and the ability to wait an hour for everything to set in the fridge. Everything else is a snap.

So while the weather may not be as sunny as you or I might like I hope this raw blackberry cheesecake will help brighten up your day!

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Recipe

Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake

Yield: 12 bars Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

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Gluten free, Vegan Blackberry Cheesecake. A swirly blackberry syrup over a cashew cream layer and chocolate crust bottom.

Ingredients

Chocolate Base

• 1 1/2 cup | 145 grams almond flour
• 3/4 cup | 89 grams cocoa powder
• pinch of sea sea salt
• 1/2 cup | 104 g melted coconut oil
• 3-4 tablespoons | 60-80 grams maple syrup depending on how sweet you want it (or honey if not vegan)
• 1 teaspoon | 5 ml vanilla extract

Cheesecake Layer

• 2 1/2 cups | 360 grams raw cashews (soaked overnight in cold water)
• 1/2 cup | 104 grams melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup | 80 grams maple syrup (or raw honey)
• 1/4 cup | 60 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice - about one large lemon
• 2 teaspoons | 10 ml vanilla extract

Blackberry Swirl

• 1/2 cup | 50 grams blackberries
• 1 tablespoons | 15 ml water
• 1 tablespoons | 20 grams maple syrup, (or honey if not vegan)

Need help converting to weights? Check out my cups to grams Conversion Guide.

Instructions

Crust

1. Begin making the chocolate crust by whisking together the almond flour, cocoa powder and salt together in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add the remaining crust ingredients until combined and no lumps remain. The dough will be thick and sticky like a brownie batter. Press the dough into an 8x8 spring form, no stick tin.

Blackberry Sauce

1. Place the blackberries, the water, and the sweetener in a small sauce pan on a medium heat for about 8-10 minute. Stir the mixture and mash up the blackberries as the cook and become easy to break down. 
2. Once cooked, place a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl use the fork to squeeze out the liquid into the bowl. Discard the left over solids. Set aside the puree to cool to room temp and use for later.

Cheesecake Layer

1. Draining the water from the cashews if you haven't already and place them in a high speed blender or food processor along with the remaining cheesecake ingredients. Blend it all together until it becomes smooth. If you need, stop and scrap the sides down to get all the bits mixed in. This should take 60-90 seconds. (If you own a Blendtec, I put mine on the smoothie setting and that did the trick)
2. Pour the filling over the prepared crust and smooth it out. Carefully drizzle the cooled blackberry puree over the top of the filling and then drag a knife or toothpick across the top to create the rippled effect.
3. Cover and place in the freezer for about a couple of hours to firm up and then slice and dive in.

Notes

Keep these pre sliced stored in the freezer and allow to defrost about 5-10 minutes before eating. 

Nutrition Information

Yield: 12

Serving Size:

1 square Calories: 439Saturated Fat: 18gSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 9g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© A Saucy Kitchen, Sarah Nevins

Course: Desserts Cuisine: Gluten Free