raw vegan strawberry cheescake

This vegan, gluten and soy free cheesecake tastes better than the real deal!  I have had many friends sample this and none of them can believe it is dairy and tofu free!  And there is the added bonus that it is raw and packed full of wonderful wholesome ingredients.  This recipe is a variation on The Rawtarian's Raw Cheesecake.

crust ingredients

10 to 12 medjool dates (pitted)
1 cup unsweetened dried coconut
1/4 carob powder or cacao powder
2 tablespoons water
1 tabelspoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla

filling ingredients

3 cups cashews (soaked a minimum of 4 hours)

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

the juice of 3 lemons

fruit topping ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries or other fruit of your choice
10 to 12 medjool dates (pitted)

Place all of the crust ingredients into a food processor and blend until it becomes nice and crumbly. Remove the mixture and press the crust it into a 9"x 13" greased baking dish or a springform pan (this is the one I used).  

Next add all off the filling ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  If necessary add in a few tablespoons of water to aid in the blending process. Pour this mixture on top of the crust and smooth out.  Then put the cheesecake in the freezer and let it firm up for 1 hour.

Just before the hour is up, put all of the topping ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer and pour the fruit topping over the filling and smooth out with a spatula. Place the cheesecake back in the freezer and let it continue to firm up for another 2 to 3 hours.  

Remove from the freezer about 15 to 20 minutes before you are ready to serve.  This cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator up to 1 week, but if you would like it to last longer, store it in the freezer in an airtight container.  

Don't forget to pick your jaw up from the floor after you take your first bite.  You won't believe how much this tastes like:

C is for the Calories that I exonerate

H is for the Happiness I embrace
E is for Each slice that adorns my dinner plate
E is for Every indulgence of its taste
S is for magnificent Satisfaction
E (when I don't share) is for the Envious reaction
C is for Confiscating the very last piece
A is the grade I give this Amazing feast
K is for the Kismet of this phenomenon
E is for Empty (sigh) when my slice is gone