Fig and Raspberry Cheesecake

Hannah Sunderani
Aug 21, 2017
5 min read

This Fig and Raspberry Cheesecake is a dream! I’ve been making raw desserts for a while now, and this one certainly takes the cake as my favourite! I really cannot believe how creamy, smooth and cheese-cakey this Fig and Raspberry Cheesecake is! Not to mention how deliciously decadent each layer is – and how pretty each layer looks when constructed together.

I was inspired to make this raw vegan cheesecake from the current party I’m hosting on Instagram with my friend Joanne @the_balanced_kitchen. Joanne and I started a #friendswhoblend party for foodie friends to bring blended recipes to our party. A blended recipe could be anything from nice cream, to smoothies, soups, sauces etc. I’ve honestly been so touched by all the submissions so far – they are stunning! And what has really blown me away is the incredible raw dessert submissions coming from of this party! It’s clear from the mesmerizing cakes that so much time and effort has gone into creating them. And after seeing entry upon entry of tantalizing cakes I wanted to have my cake and eat it too! So here we have this delicious Fig and Raspberry Cheesecake!

I must tell you about my experience in preparing this cake for you. You might know that I’m fan of easy and straight-forward recipes (which is exactly how I like to describe this cheesecake recipe). However, I somehow managed to turn it into complete chaos when putting it together! Let’s just say that although this cake looks like a pretty slice of heaven now – commotion ensued in the making! This was entirely my own fault of course - First, I added way too much coconut oil to the base and so I pretty much had to triple the crust recipe to get the right consistency. (Don’t worry I’ve perfected it now for you). But on the bright side it led to a plentiful helping of walnut bliss balls as a result of the excessive crust!). Then, by the time I got to finishing the crust I realized I didn’t have any coconut milk in my pantry! So I had to run to the grocery store to grab some. The “icing on cake”, however, was when I returned home to realize I’d forgotten to turn the oven off and I’d burnt a full pan of roasted chickpeas to a crisp! (Remind me to never multitask! Unless I want to serve walnut bliss balls for dinner again, that is). So based on my track record I was convinced this cake was a dud. I did, however, muster up the strength finish cheesecake layers, stick it in the freezer and collapse to bed. I’d disregarded the whole experience so much that didn’t even look in the freezer for 2 days!

By Saturday morning I worked up the courage to pull the cake out the freezer to inspect the damage. After removing the spring form pan to check out the layers I couldn’t believe my eyes! This cake looked magnificent! The layers were so crisp and defined! And the bottom crust was just how I wanted it – a gorgeous golden blonde. The figgy later on top also added a beautifully dreamy frosted look that it would make Queen Elsa proud! And cutting into this cake was just as euphoric as it looked! The consistency was thick and creamy, with a sweet interior and crunchy bottom. It was love at first bite.

What more can I say about this gorgeous cake than that! I mean it when I say that this Vegan Fig and Raspberry Cheesecake is my favourite raw treat I’ve made to date! And if I can make this euphoric pink cake during a complete kitchen nightmare, you can do it with your eyes closed! I’ve just got one very important tip for success – don’t forget that canned coconut milk before starting! It’ll spare you a chaotic trip to the grocery store, and might save you from a batch of burnt chickpeas!

Hope you enjoy this pretty Fig and Raspberry Cheesecake as much as we did!

Vegan Fig and Raspberry Cheesecake

Serves: 6| Prep Time: Overnight + 1h (1h active prep) | Freeze Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

For the oaty-walnut crust

1 cup walnuts
1 cup gluten-free oats
8 medjool dates, pits removed
2 tsp coconut oil
pinch salt
pinch cinnamon

For the middle (white) layer of cashew cheesecake:

1 ½ cups (210g) cashews, soaked overnight, and strained
½ cup (120ml) coconut milk
¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup
2 tbsp lemon juice (½ lemon)
½ tsp (2.5ml) rose extract (optional)
¼ tsp (1.25 ml) vanilla extract
½ tsp salt

For the top (pink) layer of the cheesecake:

1/3 cup (50g) raw cashews, soaked overnight, and strained
2 tbsp (30ml)coconut milk
1 tbsp + 1 tsp (17.5) maple syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice (1/4 lemon)
¼ tsp (1.25) rose extract (optional)
pinch salt
~1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

Top with:

4-5 fresh figs, thinly sliced

Directions:

In a food processor add walnuts, oats, dates, coconut oil, salt and cinnamon. Process until the ingredients become dough like in texture, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, approx. 7-10 minutes.
Transfer crust to a spring form pan. (I used an 18cm/7 inches in diameter). Press down on the crust to make an even layer.
In a blender add the ingredients of the middle (white) layer: soaked cashews (strained), coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, rose extract, vanilla extract and salt. Blend until smooth and creamy, approx. 5 minutes. Pour the cashew cream filling over the crust and smooth until even. Gently bang the spring form pan against work surface a few times to release any bubbles. Place in freezer to freeze this layer until completely frozen, approx. 2 hours.
Next add the ingredients for the top (pink) layer of the cheesecake to your blender: raw cashews (strained), coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, rose extract, and salt. Blend until smooth. Next add raspberries bit by bit until you’ve reached desired pink colour. (I used 1 cup frozen raspberries).
Pour the pink cashew cream filling over the frozen cashew cake and smooth until even. Gently bang the spring form pan against work surface a few times to release any bubbles. Decorate the top of the cake with thinly sliced figs and place in freezer to freeze until completely frozen, approx. 2 hours.
When ready to serve, remove cake from the freezer and let thaw 20 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice into 8 slices, for optimal taste let the indivudal slices sit for another 10-15 minutes before serving.