Raw Apple Caramel Cheesecake
My collection of raw desserts is forever growing. I can’t get enough of them an absolutely love making them. Even though baking has a special place in my heart, I get so upset when a baking experiment doesn’t go to plan.
I’ve realised that when it comes to vegan baking, or healthy vegan baking to be more specific, not using eggs can be really difficult. I don’t like using things like egg replacement powders or vegan spreads. I try to keep my bakes as, dare I say the word ‘clean’, as possible.
I use milled flaxseed A LOT in my vegan bakes in the place of eggs, and most times it works wonderfully well. However, sometimes it just doesn’t work, and I shouldn’t expect it to. When using eggs in baking, the protein in egg is altered by the heat causing it to solidify (think raw eggs vs boiled) whereas flaxseed just doesn’t react in the same way to heat.
So when I want to make a ‘safe’ recipe, one that I know will definitely work and won’t result in any tear shedding, I turn to raw desserts. Rich, delicious and full of nutritious ingredients that I can tailor to my own taste and know will always turn out well.
I was sent some freeze dried fruit packs from Nothing But and was challenged to come up with a sweet treat to celebrate The Great British Bake Off season. Naturally, I decide to make a raw cheesecake that involves no baking at all 😀 since their fruit slices are raw, it didn’t make sense for me to then go ahead and expose them to heat and damage their nutrient content. That’s why I chose to do a raw dessert!
These raw apple caramel cheesecake slices are so delicious and decadent! With a simple date and nut crust, a caramel middle layer and a sweet apple layer. All topped off with some freeze dried apple and fig slices and a drizzle of date nectar.
- 1 cup (140g) dates
- 1/2 cup (70g) almonds
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups (300g) cashews, soaked for at least 8 hours
- 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) date nectar
- 6 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) milk of choice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 apples
- 1/2 cup (70g) dates
- 2 tbsp cashew or almond butter
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Optional: drizzle of date nectar
- Blend all the crust ingredients together until you have a sticky dough.
- Press into an 8" square pan and freeze while you make the filling.
- Blend together all the cheesecake ingredients until smooth.
- Spread over the crust, return to the freezer and chill for a couple of hours.
- Blend all the apple caramel ingredients until smooth.
- Spread over the cheesecake and top with dried apples, nuts or anything else you fancy! I topped mine with Nothing But. freeze dried apple & fig slices.
- Freeze again for a couple of hours or until completely set.
- To serve - take out 10-20 minutes before serving and drizzle with an optional, but recommended, drizzle of date nectar.
- Enjoy!
Cashews, apples, sweetness…”caramel;” <3 My fall dessert choice!!
Mmmm, it looks so delicious, I wish I could have one right now! I need to try making this once I buy a new blender..
How very interesting – all the things you can substitute to keep your recipe ‘clean’!
I totally agree that finding egg replacements are SO frustrating. I need to try making more raw desserts–chocolate date and walnut truffles are my absolute favorite, but I seriously need to find more original recipes like raw brownies, cheesecake bars and other delicacies like this! So tasty and beautiful!
I adore your raw desserts, you always make them look so beautiful and tempting! I’m going to get my blender out this weekend and give this a try. We’re off to a party on Saturday night and I’ve been tasked with taking a dessert…
When I saw this on social media I knew I had to come see it for myself. I think you are rapidly becoming the queen of raw cakes and treats! As always, this looks incredibly enticing and as good as – if not better than – a traditional baked good. I personally am not keen on “proper” cheesecakes, but the raw ones are another thing all together. Lush!
Woah! What a stunning looking cheesecake. Yum yum! Who doesn’t love cheesecake? And this vegan and gluten-free one looks droolicious.
I love all your raw desserts Nadia and I use a lot of flaxseeds too. I just used them whole and ground in my last brownie recipe but I throw the into all sorts of recipes.
You are definitely the queen of raw cheesecakes Nadia. This one looks and sounds as fabulous as the rest. I know exactly what you mean about not wanting to cook up wholesome raw ingredients. It seems a bit of a waste somehow.
Your cheesecakes look droolworthy and delicious. Very pretty too.