No-Bake Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake

This is definitely a chocolate lover's cherry cheesecake. The dark chocolate and cherry combination is already divine, but it somehow manages to get even better when it meets the cashew cream and hazelnut crust. Drooling enough yet?

NO-BAKE CHERRY CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

• 3/4 cup roasted hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted
• Pinch of sea salt

Filling:

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours and drained
• 2 cups fresh cherries, split and pitted
• 1/4 cup almond milk or any other plant milk
• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

• 4 ounces vegan dark chocolate
• 1 cup cherries (optional)

PREPARATION

To Make the Crust:

1. Grind all the crust ingredients in a food processor until you get a sticky paste.
2. Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll the paste out into approximately 1/4-inch thickness.
3. Fit the paste to the size of your cake pan (I used a 6-inch diameter springform pan).
4. Line the cake pan with parchment paper and place the crust on the bottom.
5. Place the pan in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

To Make the Filling:

1. Blend all the filling ingredients, but with only half of the cherries (1 cup), in a high-speed blender.
2. Cut the rest of the cherries into little pieces and add them into the mix. Stir with a spoon.
3. Take the cake pan out of the freezer and add the filling, place back in the freezer.

To Make the Topping:

1. When the filling is fully frozen (after at least four hours in the freezer), take the cake out of the pan.
2. Pour to melted chocolate over the cake. Make sure the chocolate isn’t scalding hot, just hot enough to melt.
3. Add the whole cherries on top.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/no-bake-cherry-chocolate-cheesecake/