Living Almond Cheesecake

Crust Ingredients:
1 cup medium sized pitted dates
1 cup filtered water
1 cup organic almonds (soaked and dehydrated)
1 tsp. organic vanilla extract
2 tbsp. organic melted coconut oil

Directions:
Place the dates into a measuring cup with the filtered water and let soak for 30 minutes. Place the dates and water into a Vitamix. Add the salt and vanilla to the dates. Blend until creamy smooth. Pour the melted coconut oil into the Vitamix and blend until evenly distributed without any oil visible on the top. Place the almonds into a Cuisinart and pulse them into small pieces. Do not over blend because they could turn to powder. Pour the almonds into a mixing bowl. Pour the date paste from the Vitamix into the bowl with the almonds and mix with a spoon. Take a cake pan 6 ¾” x 2 ¾ “with a removable bottom. Oil the inside of the pan with coconut oil and pour the batter into the pan. Press it flat and even in the pan with a food press. Place the pan in the refrigerator, covered, while making the filling.

Note: Soak the cashews for 2 to 4 hours before making the filling.

Filling Ingredients:
2 cups raw organic soaked cashews
1 can 13.66oz. Thai Coconut milk
1 8oz. jar Organic Almond Butter
1 tsp. organic almond extract
¼ tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt
¼ cup organic maple syrup
½ tsp. organic lemon juice
1 cup organic melted coconut oil
3 tbsp. soy lecithin granules

Directions:
Take the cashews and drain them completely. Rinse them until the water runs clear. Place them into a Vitamix and add coconut milk, almond butter, almond extract, salt, maple syrup and lemon juice. Use a tamper to blend on high until the mixture is creamy smooth. Make sure the mixture is silky smooth with no grit. Turn the Vitamix on low and slowly add the coconut oil. Use the tamper to help mix in the oil. Turn the Vitamix on high and blend until creamy smooth. Take the lecithin and grind it to a fine powder using a dry Vitamix container. Add the powder to the Vitamix and blend until evenly mixed. Take the filling and pour it into the cake pan. Pour it all the way to the top of the pan. Take the remaining filling and place it into an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cover the cake pan and place it in the refrigerator overnight.

Almond Chocolate

Topping Ingredients:
1 cup organic raw cacao powder
¾ cup organic maple syrup
½ cup organic melted coconut oil
¼ tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt
1 tsp. organic almond extract

Assembly Supplies:
Wilton easy pour funnel
Wilton decorating triangle
Wilton Turntable Rotating Cake Stand
Wilton 1M cake decorating tip, and pastry bag

​​​Directions:
Place the cacao powder, maple syrup, salt, almond extract into a Vitamix and blend until creamy smooth. Scrape down the sides with a spatula while blending. Add the melted coconut oil with the Vitamix on low. Use the tamper to help mix it in evenly. Take the pan out of the refrigerator. Open up the side of the pan halfway. If the cheesecake sticks to the side of the pan, gently place a thin knife between the side of the pan and the cheesecake to loosen it. Be careful not to damage the side of the cheesecake. Take a decorative plate. Take a large thin cake spatula and gently slide it underneath the crust between the crust and the bottom of the cake pan. Place the cheesecake on the plate. Then place the plate on the Turntable. Take the triangle and use the edge that looks like a wave. Push it into the side of the cake and gradually turn the turntable. Go all the way around the cake to form a pattern on the side of the cheesecake. Mix the chocolate sauce in the Vitamix with a spatula. Pour a mound of chocolate sauce from the Vitamix onto the top of the cheesecake. Take the spatula and circularly spread the sauce out from the center of the cake toward the edges evenly. You want a ¼” thick layer of chocolate on the top. Take the remaining chocolate topping and pour it into an easy pour funnel. Raise the stopper just enough to begin your swirl in the top center of the cheesecake. Keep swirling evenly until reaching the outside edge. Refer to the photo if needed. Place the cake into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to let the chocolate topping harden. Remove the remaining filling from the refrigerator. Place it into a pastry bag with a Wilton 1M tip. Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator. Place it back onto the turntable. Make a circle of rosettes around the top edge of the cheesecake. Go all the way around. Place one large rosette in the center of the top. Refer to the photo if needed.

Will last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Will last 1 month in the freezer.