This No-Bake Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache is a gluten-free, Paleo and vegan cheesecake made with a walnut crust, a creamy cashew cheesecake filling, topped with a luscious chocolate ganache. This healthier cheesecake alternative will satisfy your cheesecake cravings!
Ingredients
For the graham cracker crust
½ cup raw walnuts
½ cup almond flour
2 pitted dates
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the cheesecake
2 cups raw cashews soaked in water for at least six hours or preferably overnight, drained and rinsed before using (see Notes)
½ cup canned coconut milk shaken
¼ cup coconut oil melted and cooled (use refined coconut oil if you want no coconut flavor)
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
For the chocolate ganache
3 oz. dark chocolate I used 72%
1/3 cup canned coconut milk
Instructions
Grease a 6” springform pan with coconut oil, or line an 6” cake pan with strips of parchment paper for easy removal, and grease well with coconut oil. Set aside.
Add the walnuts, almond flour, pitted dates, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulverize until it comes together into a sort of sticky dough, with small walnut bits remaining. Don’t over process, or it’ll turn into nut butter! Press the date dough evenly along the bottom of the prepared pan.
In the same food processor or high-powered blender (no need to wash between - I used my Vitamix, but most powerful blenders should do the job), combine all of the filling ingredients and blend for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture is silky smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as necessary. You may need to add a bit more coconut milk or lemon juice to get it to blend smoothly if your blender isn’t super high-powered.
Once it’s smooth, taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness/tartness levels, if desired.
Pour the filling into the prepared pan over the crust. Smooth out the top and tap the pan hard against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place in the freezer.
Full Reading: https://www.bakerita.com/
