Vegan Apple Caramel Cheesecake from Under A Lemon Tree

Hi Everyone! Today the lovely Anne from Life Under A Lemon Tree is sharing her mouthwatering recipe for Vegan Apple Caramel Cheesecake! Umm… yuuuhuuum! Take it away Anne!

Hi Nutritionist in the Kitch readers! I’m Anne from Life Under A Lemon Tree and I’m thrilled to be guest posting on one of my favourite blogs.

I have loved Christal’s blog, Nutritionist in the Kitch ever since I first laid my eyes on it months ago. I think Christal is literally glowing from the inside out, as she’s so inspiring and most of all, has the same passion as me for healthy food and nutrition! I’m so excited and grateful that she has asked me to be here guest posting on the blog today!

I’m a French Canadian Nutritionist who now lives in Northern California. My husband and I have both been vegetarians for more than ten years now, and more recently we’ve been eating a mostly vegan diet. Our 2 young children are eating the same way and we have found that this helps us to live a healthier life. My goal is to feed my family awesome food that’s easy to prepare, mostly plant-based (although we do enjoy an egg sometimes!) and gluten-free, inspired by the Farmer’s Market goodies we often get… and without sacrificing the taste of course!

Today I’m happy to share with you one of my favourite desserts. I’ve been making raw desserts since the day I bought my high-speed blender 10 years ago! They are healthy and so simple to do! Forget about the cake baking fiasco… raw cheesecakes are very hard to mess up! This recipe may look super fancy, but trust me, it couldn’t be easier to make! All you need is a good blender (I love my good old Vitamix!) to blend the ingredients together and let your dessert freeze for a few hours before serving.

This simple no-bake vegan cashew cheesecake has been taste-tested and approved by many of my friends. And the really begins when you experiment with different toppings or flavours. You can serve the cheesecake with a raw fruit coulis (blueberry, strawberry, mango, cherry…) and fresh fruits on top, or you can add cacao powder to the cashew layer and drizzle with melted dark chocolate and peanut butter on top for a rich and decadent “chocolaty” cheesecake. The possibilities are infinite!

I’ve probably prepared more than 30 different versions so far! Recently, I was looking for a Fall and Winter twist for the dessert, so I came up with this apple-caramel version. Who doesn’t love that combo? The cake is topped with drizzles of my vegan caramel sauce (my new obsession as you can see on my blog!) and delicious baked cinnamon apples.

You truly have to taste this cheesecake to understand just how good it is. It’s my husband’s favourite! Between the rich flavour of the salted caramel sauce, the contrast of the moist apples, the silky layer of cashew cheese and the chunky nut and date crust, it’s really a dream! You do not want to miss out on this Vegan Apple caramel Cheesecake! I also challenge you to serve this to your “non vegan” guests… it’s so delicious they won’t even notice it’s packed with nutrients and it’s 100% plant-based!

Vegan Apple Caramel Cheesecake

Author: Anne-Pier Fillion, Life Under A Lemon Tree

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Ingredients for the crust:
1 cup raw organic almonds
1 cup pitted dates (around 10)
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Pinch sea salt
Ingredients for the cashew layer:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight (8-12 hours)
½ cup organic full fat coconut milk
¼ cup organic, cold expressed virgin coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup (or raw honey or agave nectar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for the apples:
3 apples, diced
1 teaspoon grounded cinnamon
1 tablespoon organic, cold expressed virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Ingredients for the caramel:
½ cup full-fat organic coconut milk
½ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon organic, cold expressed virgin coconut oil
2 pinch sea salt

Instructions

The night before (or at least 8-12 hours), cover the raw cashews with water and let soak. Rinse and drain the cashews. Set aside.
For the crust: combine all the ingredients into a food processor and process until it starts to clump (if the dough crumbles too much, you may have to add a little more coconut oil). Don't process the ingredients too much, you still want to see pieces in the mixture and you sure don’t want a smooth paste. Line a round 8 or 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and pour the crust into it. Press the mixture evenly with your fingers or a glass. Set aside.
For the cashew layer: combine all the ingredients into a high-speed blender (or quality blender) and mix until completely smooth. Add a touch of lemon juice or maple syrup if the mixture won’t come together well. Pour into the pan on top of the crust. Tap a few times to release air bubbles, than cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until hard (at least 4-6 hours).
For the caramel sauce: Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine (continuously to prevent burning) for 10 minutes. Set aside in the fridge to cool. It will thicken as it chills.
For the cooked apples: Combine all ingredients in a small pan over a medium heat. Cook for 8 -10 minutes, until apples are soft. Set aside.
Once the cake is set and ready to serve, thaw the cheesecake 30 minutes before serving. Remove the cheesecake from the pan by running a sharp knife around the edges or the pan.
Place the apples over the top of the cheesecake and drizzle with the caramel sauce. Keep the rest of the caramel for extra drizzles!

Notes

I use an 8 or 9-inch springform pan, but you can also make them as 6-8 mini cheesecakes in a muffin pan. I find they are also very cute to serve this way and you can try adding different toppings to satisfy all your guests!

Thanks again to the lovely Christal for inviting me on Nutritionist in the Kitch today!

Enjoy!

Wow – that recipe looks a-m-a-z-i-n-g! Can’t wait to make it in the Kitch! For another tasty vegan apple desert try my Vegan Apple Cake with Streusel Topping.

Stay tuned for more delicious recipes coming your way next week and don’t forget to check back for the upcoming release of my NITK Guides Series D I G E S T I O N R E S E T G U I D E !! I can’t wait for you to learn how to press the R E S E T button on your digestion and start feeling amazing from the inside out!

Christal

Nutritionist in the Kitch