*ingredients:
+Shell:
°1 cup packed seedless dates
°1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
°1/4 teaspoon sea salt
+filling:
°1 1/2 cups raw cashews
°1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
°1/3 cup maple syrup
°1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (or another type of dairy-free milk, such as almond or rice)
°1/4 teaspoon sea salt
°3 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil (or use coconut, but it will add more coconut flavor)
°2 tablespoons lemon juice (1 small lemon yields ~2 tablespoons // plus more to taste)
+Tops:
°3/4 cup packed pitted dates (plus water to mix)
°3/4 cup roasted and salted peanuts (I like Trader Joe’s roasted and lightly salted peanuts)
°3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate (I like Trader Joe’s 72�rk chocolate)
°1 tsp coconut oil (optional)
* Methods :
Adding cashews to a bowl and cover with boil hot water. Leave it uncovered for an hour. Then strain well. Also line the paper with parchment paper. sit aside.
Meanwhile, make a crust by adding the dates to the mixture/mix until small portions remain or form into a ball. Remove from the fire and set aside.
Add the walnuts and sea salt to the food processor and process into a meal. Then add the dates again and mix until a loose paste forms – it should stick together when you squeeze a little between your fingers. If it’s too wet, add more nuts.
Press crust into parchment-lined dish (see photo), until uniformly flat. I like to put parchment paper on top and then press down with something flat – like a liquid measuring cup – and press down until it’s packed tightly. Placing crust in freezer to set.
Next, prepare the caramel date by adding 3/4 cup dates (amount as written in original recipe, adjust if batch sizing) to food processor. Mix until a dough forms, then add the hot water a little at a time until it forms a nice spreadable caramel-like dough. Try not to add more than 3-4 tablespoons (45-60ml, the amount is as the original recipe wrote, adjust if you’re changing batch size), which will depend on the freshness of the dates. sit aside.
Add the soaked and drained cashews to a high-speed blender, along with the vanilla (optional), maple syrup, coconut milk, sea salt, oil, and lemon juice. Blend over high heat until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed.Taste and alter taste as needed, including extra lemon for brightness, salt for taste balance, or maple syrup for sweetness.
Pour the filling over the crust and tap on the counter to release any air bubbles. Then add half of the caramel in small spoons and roll them up using a toothpick or chopstick (see photo).
Sprinkle peanuts on top and press again to gently coat. Covering with plastic wrap, then seal top with aluminum foil. Freeze 4-6 hours, or until completely set and firm.
When ready to serve, top with cheesecake (to thaw briefly) and top with remaining date paste and a few roasted peanuts (optional).
Meanwhile, preparing chocolate sauce. Add the chocolate and coconut oil (optional) to a casserole pot and place over a small saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water (over medium heat). Stir occasionally over boiling water until dissolved (alternatively, melt in microwave in 30-second increments).
Drizzle chocolate over cheesecake, cut into 9 to 12 pieces (amount as written in original recipe, adjust if changing batch size) and serve.
Enjoy !
