Vegan Matcha Strawberry Cheesecake
February 05, 2020
Our wonderful collaborator Heather Pace of Sweetly Raw has created an amazing Valentine's Day recipe for us to share!
To celebrate the love of matcha and natural ingredients, she's combined matcha and strawberries for the perfect decadent treat - it's gluten-free, raw, and vegan so you can enjoy with impunity!
This is the perfect dessert to celebrate some self-love, or prepare for your sweetheart.
Strawberry Matcha Cheesecake
By Heather Pace/Sweetly Raw
Makes 6 small cheesecakes or an 8” cake.
Crust
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup dates or raisins
1-2 teaspoons water
Finely grind the almonds and coconut in a food processor. Add the dates and process until they’re broken down and combined. Add the water and process until a dough forms that will easily hold together when pressed in your hand. Press into the bottom of mini cheesecake pans or silicone muffin molds.
Note: If making an 8” cake double the ingredients for the crust and press evenly into the spring form pan.
Strawberry Filling
1 1/2 cups diced strawberries
1 cup raw cashew pieces
3 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
Optional: beet powder for a stronger pink colour, or a few raspberries.
Blend all but the coconut oil in a high-speed blender until smooth. Add the oil and blend again to incorporate. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
Matcha Filling
1/2 cups raw cashew pieces
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon DoMatcha
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
Blend the cashews, water, syrup, and matcha in a high speed blender until smooth. Add the oil and blend again to incorporate.
Assembly
Pour either of the fillings halfway up the cheesecake pans. With some force, pour some of the other filling on top so that it pierces through the first filling. Use the end of a spoon to push the filling down into the other. Gently spoon a bit of the first filling over the top. Repeat with the remaining filling until it is all used up, alternating between the two so that some appear pink and the others appear green, with opposite fillings inside. Place into the freezer for at least 6 hours to set.
For an 8” cake, pour one filling in and spoon blobs of the other filling on top and push them down into the filling. You can also swirl them around to create a swirly pattern if desired.
To Serve
Remove the firm cheesecake(s) from the freezer. Remove from the molds or pan and allow to sit in the fridge to thaw. Drizzle with chocolate sauce, top with chocolate covered strawberries, matcha bites, and sprinkle with extra matcha.
Chocolate Sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 1/2 tablespoons sifted cacao powder
1/2 - 1 teaspoon warm water
Set a small bowl in another bowl of hot water to keep it warm. Whisk all ingredients together until smooth adding just enough water to emulsify the mixture until it is smooth. The sauce will thicken up as you whisk it and it sits for a few minutes. Drizzle over the top of the cakes.
Matcha Bites
1/4 cup melted coconut butter
Ceremonial DoMatcha, for desired shade of bright green
Whisk the ingredients together until smooth. Spoon into silicone molds of choice, set on a tray. Place into the fridge to set, about 20 minutes.
Repeat with beet powder for pink ones.
