Blood Orange Creamsicle “Cheesecake”! A Raw Vegan Dream!

We finally got a Spring like day this week! We started the week with snow, then a few days later almost 70! Back to chilly again but it’s coming! My latest creation has me thinking of hot summer days when I was a kid. One of my favorite summer time treats was an orange creamsicle! So good with the creamy vanilla center and the frozen orange popsicle crust on the outside. Whoever came up with that flavor combo is some sort of genius.

Fast forward to my adult life, I still love that flavor combination, it’s a classic. But, my tastes have evolved over the years and I love to try out new interesting flavors or elevating familiar ones with new ingredients. So here is my take on a creamsicle, only in a new form and a tad more sophisticated! I created an almost raw, vegan, blood orange creamsicle “cheesecake”! That’s a mouthful! A delicious mouthful! The blood orange is a beautiful reddish, purplish flesh, that is a bit sweeter than a regular orange and has some berry notes! So pretty!!

I was having a few friends over for dinner and I was making a pretty healthy meal and I wanted to keep the theme going into the dessert. I have been wanting to try my hand at making a dairy free cheesecake with no refined sugar and no bake. They are so beautiful! I say almost raw because the blood orange juice layer is cooked down on the stove top to make a delicious syrup that goes over the top of the cheesecake. It mimics that orange popsicle crust in the original and finishes off the cake beautifully!

Without the blood orange juice syrup, still beautiful and delicious.  But, I really like the added layer of the juice over the top.  Just adds that extra something, something.

This does take a little time because there are a few components in the layers. It’s totally worth it! This is made with all whole, organic ingredients. So delicious. The crust is dates, almonds, pecans and date nectar, that’s it. The “cheesecake” layer is cashews, blood orange juice, coconut milk and coconut nectar and the delicious cream layer is coconut cream, agave, vanilla bean and organic vanilla coconut yogurt. I use this brand, it’s the best, coyo.

Then you just layer each component in a 6” springform pan!   I did add a little organic gel fuchsia food, coloring in the “cheesecake” layer to amp up the color a bit. You don’t have to do this, but it just makes it extra pretty! Look at that perfect slice!

There you have it! An organic, vegan, almost raw delicious treat! This is the perfect dessert to end a dinner party with.  It is not only beautiful and will impress your friends, it also is delicious, light and fresh! It will also have you dreaming of hot days with the faint sound of the ice cream man in the distance! 🙂

Blood Orange Creamsicle Raw Vegan "Cheesecake"

 

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Prep time

3 hours

Total time

3 hours

 

Author: Diane

Serves: 10 to 12

Ingredients

• For the crust:
• ½ cup almonds
• ½ cup pecans
• 8 to 10 pitted medjool dates
• 1 to 2 tbsp. of date nectar
• For the filling:
• 2 cups raw cashews
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• ½ cup fresh blood orange juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup coconut nectar
• Cream layer:
• 5 oz. vanilla coconut yogurt (Coyo)
• 1 tbsp. arrowroot starch
• 1 can coconut cream
• 1 vanilla bean scrapped
• 4 tbsp. agave nectar
• Orange layer:
• I cup blood orange juice
• 2 tbsp. agave nectar
• 1 tbsp. tapioca starch

Instructions

1. For the crust:
2. Soak the pitted dates in hot water for about 20 minutes to soften.
3. Place a 6-inch round cake board in the bottom of a 6-inch spring form pan. You could also line with plastic wrap. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a food processor, add the almonds, pecans, pitted dates and date nectar. Process until combined and sticky crust has formed. If it’s too sticky a little water to thin out.
5. Press the crust in the bottom of the prepared pan evenly. Place in the freezer as you start on the filling.
6. For the filling:
7. Soak the cashews overnight in a bowl of water or boil for 10 minutes. Rinse and place in the bowl of a clean food processor.
8. Add the coconut milk, fresh blood orange juice, vanilla and coconut nectar. Process until very smooth. Taste and if you like more sweetness add more coconut nectar a tbsp. at a time. At this point you can add a drop of organic fuchsia, red or orange organic food coloring if you wish. Not necessary. Combine until even color.
9. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Next, pour over the crust and place in the freezer while you work on the cream layer.
10. Cream layer:
11. In a large bowl add all the cream ingredients together and whisk to combine until very smooth. Pour over “cheesecake” layer and place back in the freezer for about 2 hours until frozen.
12. Blood orange syrup:
13. Place about ¼ cup of the freshly squeezed blood orange in a small bowl, add the tapioca starch, and stir to combine to create a slurry, set aside.
14. Place the rest of the blood orange juice in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the agave nectar and stir to combine.
15. Heat to a simmer, add in the slurry and continue to stir until sauce thickens and a syrup forms. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 15 minutes at room temp.
16. Remove your cheesecake from the freezer and spring form pan. Place on cake turn table and carefully pour the blood orange syrup over the top of the cake to cover completely and let drip down sides.
17. Place cheesecake in airtight container and place back in the freezer. Let cheesecake freeze for at least 3 hours to overnight. When ready to serve, place at room temp for 30 minutes prior to slicing. Store any leftovers in the freezer.
18. Enjoy!

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