Nutty Dark Chocolate and Strawberry Chia Cheesecake

This cake is made using no sugar, no dairy, and no artificial sweeteners- just straight-up goodness from the sweetness of dates. It gets its crunchy bite from almonds and walnuts. Cashews are the base of this silky cheesecake and, of course, it also has plenty of chocolate for all of you with a sweet tooth out there. To make it even better, there is a layer of homemade strawberry chia jam spread on top.

NUTTY DARK CHOCOLATE AND STRAWBERRY CHIA CHEESECAKE [VEGAN, RAW, GRAIN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE NUT AND DATE BASE:

• 2 cups pitted Medjool dates, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup raw walnuts
• 1 tablespoon rice malt syrup
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder

FOR THE CHEESECAKE:

• 3 cups raw cashews
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk from carton
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk from can
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3.5 ounces vegan chocolate, melted

FOR THE STRAWBERRY CHIA JAM:

• 4 cups frozen strawberries
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds

FOR DECORATION:

• Fresh strawberries
• Dark chocolate shavings
• Fresh mint

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE DATE AND NUT BASE:

1. Line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment and set aside.
2. Into a food processor, add all your ingredients and blend until a large ball forms (if your processor is not very strong, this will not happen) or until well combined. You should still be able to see the nuts but make sure the dates are nice and smooth.
3. Using your hands flatten out the based of the cake into the tin. Tip: you can use a cup or mug to make sure everything is even.
4. Place in freezer until you add your chocolate cheesecake.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE:

1. Add all your ingredients into a high-speed blender (add your liquids first) and blend till smooth, around two minutes. You may have swoosh down the sides of the blender a few times to make sure everything is well blended.
2. Once blended, transfer your mixer to the cake tin. A quick trick to flattening the cream is by slamming the tin down on the table a couple times. If you have no stress to release, just use the back of a spoon.
3. Place in freezer to set for at least 3 hours or overnight.

TO MAKE THE STRAWBERRY CHIA JAM AND DECORATE:

1.  Simply add all your ingredients into a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Bring mixture to a boil and then simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and using a fork smash the bits of strawberry to create your jam consistency.
2. Let your jam cool for 5 minutes then add your chia seeds. Once warm enough that it won’t melt the cake, begin spreading it over the cake.
3. Finish with your fresh berries, chocolate, and mint as garnish. Lasts in freezer covered with cling film up to a week.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/strawberry-chia-cheesecake/?utm_source=Green+Monster+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=174a0463ae-NEWSLETTER_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bbf62ddf34-174a0463ae-106919241