As Shavuot approaches, the community prepares to indulge in delicious dairy treats – yet many are unable to partake in the custom. Niki Webster from plant-based food blog, Rebel Recipes shares two gluten and dairy-free takes on bubbeh’s classic cheesecake recipe. It may be the Feast of Weeks – but you’ll be lucky if they last the day!
LEMON CHEESECAKE
My raw lemon cheesecake is incredibly simple to make, contains only natural whole ingredients and has just a little maple syrup to sweeten the topping. I love the combination of the creamy and zingy lemon cashew topping with the crunchy, nutty base. It’s so good you really have to taste it to believe it!
Topping Ingredients
2 cup soaked organic cashews (soaked for at least four hours)
Juice 2 and ½ lemons
1/3 cup organic coconut oil
3 tbsp maple syrup
Pinch sea salt
1 tsp vanilla powder or essence
Zest 1 unwaxed organic lemon
Base Ingredients
2/3 cup organic almonds
1/2 cup organic desiccated coconut
3 tbsp organic buckwheat groats
8 Medjool dates
2 tbsp almond butter
Pinch sea salt
Method
- To make the base blitz the almonds in your food processor until you get a crumb-like consistency. 2. Add in the dates, almond butter, buckwheat, coconut and salt and blend again until everything combines. The mix should stick together between your fingers.
- Add the mixture to a 10-inch pie tin. Press down firmly but don’t press the mixture up the sides.
- Pop the tray in the freezer while you make the filling.
- Wash out your food processor then add the cashews and blitz until super creamy. This may take a few minutes and you will need to scrape the sides a few times.
- Add in the lemon juice, coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, vanilla and lemon zest. Blitz again until combined well.
- Remove the base from the freezer then top with the lemon mix. Return to the freezer to firm up for at least an hour.
MATCHA CHEESECAKE
My raw matcha cheesecake is super-easy to make and tastes amazing. The creamy cashew topping combined with coconut cream and vanilla powder really enhances the matcha flavour while rich, raw cacao is added to the base for a chocolatey flavour and crunchy texture. I hope you enjoy this one!
Topping Ingredients
2 cups organic cashews (soaked for at least four hours)
4 tbsp coconut cream
2 tsp premium grade matcha
1/3 cup melted organic coconut oil
3 tbsp maple syrup
Pinch sea salt
2 tsp vanilla powder or essence
Base Ingredients
1 cup organic almonds
1/4 cup organic desiccated coconut
3 tbsp organic buckwheat groats
3 tbsp raw cacao
12 Medjool dates
2 tbsp almond butter
Pinch sea salt
Method
- To make the base blitz the almonds in your food processor until you get a crumb-like consistency.
- Add in the dates, almond butter, buckwheat, coconut, cacao and salt and blend again until everything combines. The mix should stick together between your fingers.
- Add the mixture to your a pie tin. (I used a 10-inch pie tin). Press down firmly with you hands (don’t press the mix up the sides).
- Pop the tray in the freezer while you make the filing.
- Wash out your food processor then add the cashews then blitz until the cashews are super creamy. This may take a few minutes and you will need to scrape the sides a few times.
- Add in the coconut cream, coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, vanilla and matcha. Blitz again until combined well.
- Remove the base from the freezer then top with the lemony mix. Return to the freezer to firm up for at least an hour.