Oh Cheesecake, how we adore thee. This once forbidden food has been welcomed back into our world thanks to Zainab Alasadi of La Galette. Free of dairy, gluten and other refined ingredients, Zainab has ingeniously transformed cheesecake into a raw, vegan treat that any health foodie would approve of. Utilizing ingredients like mineral-rich cashews, metabolism-boosting coconut, gluten-free buckwheat, fiber-packed almonds and sweetened with the natural sugars of gluten-free rice malt syrup and dates, one bite is as good for your body as it is for your emotional well-being. Whip up a batch of these frozen vegan cheesecake bars – filled with our favorite flavor combo, chocolate and peanut butter – and let your tastebuds run wild. Here’s the creator herself with a few notes on this healthy, desserty remix…
Chocolate and peanut butter couldn’t be more perfectly paired. Especially in this vegan cheesecake. The peanut butter adds a lovely flavor and smoothness to the cheesecake filling – simply melt-in-your-mouth. The raw chocolate pieces scattered in the cheesecake are like morsels of joy, an unexpected surprise.
What I love even more about this cheesecake is that it is so versatile. Don’t like peanut butter? Feel free to replace it with any other nut butter or even fruit puree. Don’t have a square baking tin? Use tin muffin tins and round pans. Decorate these however you like; make them sophisticated or leave the cheesecake in its natural beauty. It’s completely up to you…
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars
(raw, vegan, refined sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free)
Makes 16 bars
Ingredients:
For the filling:
3 cup raw unsalted cashews
1 3/4 cup coconut milk
3/4 gluten-free rice malt syrup (or any other liquid sweetener)
1/2 liquid cold-pressed coconut oil
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter (free of hydrogenated oil)
For the base:
1 cup buckwheat, soaked overnight and drained
1/2 cup raw unsalted almonds
1/2 soft Medjool dates
2-4 Tbsp water
To decorate:
raw chocolate squares
nuts and cake pieces
black sesame seeds
Directions:
For the base:
Line the bottom and sides of a square springform baking tin with greaseproof paper.
Cover the cashews with warm water and set aside overnight. Drain.
Process all ingredients in a food processor until evenly combined. Add water until the mixture comes together when pressed.
Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared tin. Line the chocolate pieces evenly over the base (optional).
For the filling:
Place the drained cashews, coconut milk and rice malt syrup in a high-power blender and blend on high until really smooth. Add the peanut butter and continue blending until combined.
Pour the coconut oil in a thin stream while the blender is still running. This will ensure that the cheesecake mixture is creamy and emulsified.
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the prepared base and freeze until firm before decorating and slicing.
Serve chilled.
