No-Bake Avocado Berry Vegan Cheesecake with blackberries or blueberries, date and nut crust, sweetened with honey or agave, beautifully layered vegan dessert.
A Raw Vegan Cheesecake Recipe Your Whole Family Will Love!
When dessert recipes call for healthy fats, I can’t think of a dessert I would rather have than this!
Something rich in flavor, healthy ingredients and primarily plant based.
Therefore, I knew it was time for me to create this gorgeously delicious one.
What Makes This A Raw Cheesecake?
Most cheesecake recipes depend on an abundance of eggs, baked into a dairy mixture that will set firm once baked.
This raw cheesecake uses only agar agar, a plant product used in the same way as gelatin.
Gelatin is an animal product while agar agar comes from a form of seaweed.
This product is used as a gelling agent to thicken and produce a firm, jelly-like texture.
Therefore, all of the ingredients can remain uncooked, and in their raw and natural state.
Dairy-free Cheesecakes To Love
While a dairy cream cheese, cheesecake is not for everyone, the cheesecake concept is loved by many.
The creamy consistency of full fat coconut milk and the smooth texture of the avocado, make for the healthy fat content in this luscious cheesecake.
Gorgeous Desserts Need Gorgeous Colors – Natural Colors
It just so happens that the wholesome ingredients in this cheesecake are full of color.
So, why not layer the individual cheesecake part, with a puree of seasonal fruit.
Since I used a little of the creamy avocado mixture as a creamy dollop on top, I made the top layer of the cheesecake the vibrant berry mixture.
With many fresh berries to choose from, the color and flavor choice is yours.
I chose blackberries, for their intense color, however a blueberry layer can be made instead.
The Best Cheesecake Crusts For An Avocado Berry Cheesecake
The easiest, no-bake crust I know for a variety of desserts, is this one.
A puree of dates, for natural sugar, with a puree of raw cashews or other nuts, make the best texture for your own crust.
Sure beats any store bought crust!
Another great way to use this nutty crust, is for a healthy candy or no-bake energy bites I keep on hand, when an active lifestyle doesn’t always include lunch.
Vegan Cream Cheese For My Lactose Intolerant Children
Having been one of those old fashioned moms that nursed all of my children, I didn’t realize some of my children had issues with dairy.
Once I became aware of the tummy troubles that dairy products caused a few of my kids, I set out to create special recipes for them.
The first time I made this dessert, I made sure my ‘picky’ daughter would be around to be my taste tester.
Not only did she love the taste and textures, but she said is was the best way she could think of to eat so many healthy ingredients.
Avocados Hot and Spicy Or Avocados Sweet And Creamy?
Several years ago, I made the brave move to Brazil, speaking not one word of Portuguese.
Basically, I had to learn everything humanly possible to adjust fast to my new adventure.
As much as I’d love to tell you my cultural adjustment stories, for now I will limit it to my food stories.
Before I went to Brazil I had only eaten avocado served savory.
Not so in Brazil.
They only ate avocados with sweetened condensed milk…
You see? I had lots to learn.
However, the Brazilian style of eating avocados inspired me to create this recipe.
This recipe is called a cheesecake because it takes on the creamy dense texture much like the dairy cheesecake we all know.
Vegan Desserts Using Avocados Are Simply Brilliant
Healthy fats in desserts is not always easy to find a recipe for.
In recent years, I have begun using olive oil, a healthy fat, for many of my baked goods.
- Olive Oil Blueberry Compote Pie – a pie crust with crushed almonds and olive oil instead of butter.
- Whole Orange Flourless Almond Cake – oranges, eggs and almond flour, a healthy decadent cake.
Berry Vegan Cheesecake Without A Crust
When a fork slices through a cheesecake, pumpkin pie or any custard pie, we begin to understand that a crust is not always necessary.
There is something luscious about a creamy custard, much like a Creme Brulee.
However, once you experiment with a berry of your choice, a little agar agar and a sweetener of your choice, you might ditch the crust.
Think pudding.
A puree of any favorite berry, turned into a custard texture is sure to be a favorite dessert with less calories.
How To Make This Multi Layered Colorful Vegan Cheesecake
First let’s decide on a berry.
I quite think, any will do, but I chose a deep, dark juicy blackberry.
I would strongly suggest not using frozen berries.
Much of the natural juices have become diluted by the water as they thaw.
Important Steps In Making A Vegan Cheesecake
Next, we need to talk about the cheesecake pan.
A cheesecake needs to look as though it is so abundant that it almost didn’t need to be caged in by a baking dish.
For this reason, the spring form pan is perfect.
Once the baking is done and cooled, simply release the spring on the pan and it disappears.
Vegan Thickening Agent vs Non Vegan
Another important step in making a no-bake vegan cheesecake, is the thickening agent for the cheesecake mixture.
My vegan thickening agent of choice to bring a firm substance to each layer, is agar agar.
It thickens quickly and remains firm.
If you are not primarily focused on a vegan recipe, gelatine powder can also be used.
However, other thickening agents, such as cornstarch or tapioca starch need cooking time and don’t offer a ‘gel-like’ texture to the filling.
The rest is easy and just needs to chill in the fridge for about an hour.
Ingredients Needed
- Pitted dates
- Raw cashews
- Cacao powder
- Blackberries
- Coconut sugar
- Powdered gelatin
- Blackberry liquor (optional)
- Full fat coconut milk
- Avocado
- Honey or agave
- Lemon juice
- Matcha green tea powder
Equipment Needed
- Food processor or blender
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Individual spring form pans or Mason jar lids
- Fridge
No-Bake Avocado Berry Vegan Cheesecake
Equipment
- 4 Spring form pans or 1 large cheesecake pan
- Food processor
- Fridge
Ingredients
- 2 cups Medjool Dates pitted and chopped
- 2 cups Raw Cashews
- 2 tbsp Cacao powder
- 2 cups Blackberries, Strawberries or Blueberries extra for garnish
- 1/3 cup Honey or Agave
- 1 tbsp Agar agar dissolved in 2 tbsp water
- 1 shot Liquor optional
- 13 oz Coconut cream
- 2 Ripe Avocados rough chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Coconut or cashew milk
- 1/4 cup Honey or agave
- 2 tsp Agar agar dissolved in 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Matcha green tea powder
Instructions
- Crust MixtureRough chop the pitted dates and place in a food processor or high powered blender and pulse a few times. Add the raw cashews and cacao powder and blend until it becomes a sticky paste.
- Press a little of the date mixture into the bottom of the springform pan (pans). Place in the fridge while working on each cheesecake layer.
- Avocado MixtureIn a food processor, place the avocado chunks, honey or agave, lemon juice, dissolved agar agar and matcha powder. Whisk until the chunks of the avocado form a creamy consistency. While the machine is running, slowly pour in the milk (of choice).
- Transfer this mixture into the prepared crust (crusts), setting a little aside (in the fridge), to use for a small dollop on top of the cheesecake filling when serving. Place back in the fridge to set.
- Berry MixtureIn a food processor or blender, place the berries (reserving a few for garnish), and honey (or agave). Puree until all signs of berries have become a juice. Strain to remove any seeds.
- Transfer the mixture back to the food processor and whisk in the agar agar, so no lumps remain. While the machine is running, pour in the coconut cream and liqueur (if using).
- Pour this mixture on top of the avocado mixture, that has begun to set. Return to the fridge and allow to set completely, at least an hour.
- When ready to serve, release the spring on the spring form pan (pans), transfer to serving plates, place a small dollop of avocado cream on top with a few berries.
Video
Notes
- Adding a little berry or floral liquor deepens the richness of the flavor of the berry filling. I used Creme de Violette in this recipe, a very dark purple floral liquor.
- Vegan gelatin is often derived from seaweed and is a great alternative to bovine gelatin.
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