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Date Caramel Cheesecake

YIELD: 8 Slices

This Date Caramel Cheesecake is dairy-free and vegan, with a light and silky texture and topped with a decadent date caramel sauce.

Ingredients

  • For the crust:
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For the filling:
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream
  • 2 tablespoons agar agar flakes
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 14 ounce package silken tofu
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • * 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • For the caramel sauce:
  • 1 cup Natural Delights pitted Medjool dates about 8 ounces
  • 1 cup hot water
  • ¼ teaspoon finely ground sea salt

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8-9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and tray with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a bowl, stir together the crust ingredients until the mixture resembles sand. Press evenly into the springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
  3. In a medium saucepan, bring coconut cream, agar agar, vanilla bean, sugar and salt to a boil. Reduce to medium and cook, stirring to combine, for about 5 minutes, or until agar agar is completely dissolved. Lower heat to the lowest setting to keep the mixture warm while advancing to the next step.
  4. In a blender or food processor, purée the tofu until completely smooth. Add agar mixture, lemon juice and zest. Blend until fully combined and pour into prepared crust. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until set.
  5. Soak the dates in hot water for about 10 minutes. Transfer dates and salt to a food processor or high speed blender, reserving the soaking liquid. Add ½ cup soaking liquid to the food processor, and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Continue to blend, gradually adding soaking liquid until the mixture is smooth and pourable.
  6. To serve, cut the cheesecake into slices and transfer to plates. Top with a spoonful of the date caramel sauce.

*While Medjool dates are high in natural sugars, they are low on the glycemic index thanks to a balanced amount of soluble fiber. The complex carbohydrates found in Medjool dates are digested at a slower rate, making them a source of dietary fiber and releasing energy to the body over a longer period of time.