No-Bake Marbled Blood Orange Cheesecake Brownies

Orange and chocolate is a combo that really doesn't get enough credit. Well, as this recipe proves, the tart flavor of orange goes perfectly with dark chocolate! These rich and decadent squares of heaven are part-brownie, part-cheesecake, and full-on delicious.

NO-BAKE MARBLED BLOOD ORANGE CHEESECAKE BROWNIES [VEGAN]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BROWNIES:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 2 servings of egg replacer
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup raw coconut sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

FOR THE BLOOD ORANGE CHEESECAKE:

• 2 cups cashews, soaked for a few hours or overnight
• 1-4 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons blood orange zest
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1/2 of 1 blood orange
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

FOR THE GARNISH:

• 1 teaspoon cold-pressed beet juice plus 1 teaspoon blood orange juice, for marbling (optional)
• 9 slices of blood orange
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE BROWNIES:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine coconut oil and chocolate chips in a pan over low heat or in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes until coconut oil and chocolate are both melted and combined. Set this mixture aside to cool and then whisk together the egg replacer, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract until well combined. Next, add the chocolate and coconut oil mixture to the bowl and mix until well combined. Finally, add the cacao powder, arrowroot powder, and salt, and combine until you have a smooth, thick, and chocolatey batter. On a parchment-lined, coconut oil-greased pan, add your batter and smooth out until evenly distributed. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pan and carefully pull out the parchment paper with the brownies so that the brownies don’t continue cooking. Let the pan and brownies cool and begin the cheesecake portion.

TO MAKE THE CHEESECAKE:

1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender. Start with just a tablespoon of water and add more if the mixture is too dry. Blend ingredients until you have a thick and smooth mixture. Taste for any necessary flavor adjustments. Finally, fetch the brownie pan that you set aside and line it with parchment paper. Place the brownies (not cut) back into the pan as they had fit previously. Pour cheesecake mixture on top and spread across the brownies evenly. Now you can leave the mixture as is or if you want to make them a little fancy, you can add a few drops of the beet juice mixture and then use a chopstick to make a marbled pattern.

TO MAKE THE CARAMELIZED ORANGE GARNISH:

1. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add the orange slices and the maple syrup. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until orange slices are softened and sticky. Add orange slices to the cheesecake brownies, cover, and place into the freezer for at least 3 hours. Remove from the freezer and slice into squares. Let the brownies sit out for about 10 minutes before serving.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/no-bake-marbled-blood-orange-cheesecake-brownies/