Have you ever tried longan fruit before? I fell in love with it as a teenager, when an Asian friend introduced me to this strange, small fruit, which also goes by the name "Dragon Eye". The sweet, slightly musky flavor was unlike anything I'd ever tasted, and indeed the fruit is native to South Asia, so unless you live there, it's more of an exotic find.
If you can get your hands on some, don't hesitate... paired with cashews in cake form, let's just say... Wow. Longan cheesecake is an absolute must try. No lie, it's a cheesecake like no other -- one of the best I've ever, EVER had.
On the surface, this raw cheesecake looks just like the others you'll find on this blog and in Unconventional Treats, but on the inside it's filled with a most unique, gentle flavor, thanks to the longan fruit. It tastes like a cross between a cheesecake and an ice cream, and has been voted everyone's favorite amidst all the cheesecakes I regularly whip up for my circle of friends.
If you've ever had lychee or rambutan, that should give you a hint about longan's flavor profile (in fact I went many years in the past thinking longan and lychee are the same thing when they're totally not!). You might find it in the tropical fruit section of your grocery (for those in Canada, Superstore carries it seasonally) or in Asian markets.
The reason it's known as "Dragon Eye" is because of its round black seed (as seen in photo above) and translucent white flesh, which does indeed resemble an eye. The seed is hard and inedible, so if you decorate with it, be sure to warn your guests not to chomp down on it by accident ?!
Longan is often sold canned in a sugar syrup type of deal -- I obviously can't recommend using that, as a) this is a refined sugar-free space, and b) fresh longan is so superior to the canned stuff. If you're feeling intimidated by the sound of this unfamiliar fruit for any reason -- don't be! (You may find this wiki video helpful with directions on how to peel and handle longan if it's a new-to-you experience). I promise you, going out and finding some and then making this raw cheesecake will be worth every moment and every penny! You've got my inner cheesecake addict's solemn promise on that one ? -- you're in for a treat.
P.S. One last quick note is that I made it a mini cheesecake (4"), partly because that's all the longan fruit I had on hand to work with, and partly because peeling 20 of these suckers felt like work enough ?, but of course if you wanted to size the cake up you absolutely can (see the cake size download below to help you out with quantities).
PrintLongan Raw Cheesecake
A unique, gentle raw vegan cheesecake featuring the delicious Asian longan fruit. Gluten-free and refined sugar-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4" cake
- Category: Cake
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Crust:
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 soft medjool date, pitted
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tbsp coconut oil
Filling:
- ½ cup raw cashews, pre-soaked and strained*
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp agave
- 20 longan fruit, peeled and de-seeded
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
Optional toppings:
- A few more longan halves, edible dried rose buds and petals, edible dried lavender (only use a hint unless you're a fan of the strong flavor).
Instructions
- Process all crust ingredients in a food processor into a sticky crumble. Transfer to a 4" springform pan and press down into a flat crust. Freeze while working on the next step.
- Blend all filling ingredients in a power blender into a smooth consistency (make sure they're all at room temp first). Pour the filling into the pan over the crust and smooth out the top. Decorate with desired toppings. Freeze for 5-6 hours or overnight. Thaw out slightly, slice and enjoy! (Keep leftovers frozen).
Notes
*To pre-soak nuts: place in a glass bowl, cover with water, and leave to soak for 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). Then strain and discard the water. For a quick pre-soak, cover with boiled water and soak for 15 mins, then strain and discard water. (Note: this technique doesn’t preserve the nutrition of the recipe as well as the traditional soaking technique above). Additional Note: the purpose of soaking the nuts is to re-hydrate them and plump them up for blending into a smooth, cheesecake-like consistency. Proper soaking techniques also maximize nutrition and digestibility. If you’re interested in learning more about nut soaking and other dessert prep tips and tricks, I delve into these subjects in detail in my book Unconventional Treats.
Aleda says
How can you call this cheesecake when there’s not one bit of cheese in it?
Audrey says
Hi Aleda, it's a raw vegan cheesecake which is a genre of dessert that mimics the taste and texture of cheesecake without the use of cheese or dairy products. Give it a try some time and see what you think :)
Paul says
Hi there,
"2 tbsp agave" You mean a powder or a syrup ? This is first time I see "agave" in a recipe :)
Audrey says
Hi Paul, syrup. I did not even realize it comes as a powder -- that's new! :)
You can also use maple syrup instead if you prefer.
Ariel Curry says
How long do you presoak cashews for?
Audrey says
Hi Ariel, I just added the soaking instructions to the recipe notes (sorry, it's an older recipe and I thought I updated them all with these soaking tips, but I guess I missed this one somehow!).
Marylin says
I didn't have the proper pan so I used 16 mini cupcake silicone molds and the batter fit perfectly! It was my first time making any kind of cheesecake and it turned out wonderful! The flavors and textures are amazing, and the lavender petals really compliment the cake well. Thank you for this great recipe!
★★★★★
Audrey says
Thanks so much for sharing, Marylin. I'm so glad you enjoyed this cake. I imagine it to be very pretty in mini cheesecake form :)
Clara says
there's no cheese in the filing? interesting!
Audrey says
Hi Clara, it's a raw cheesecake, which is a type of cake made dairy-free. The blended cashews in combination with the other ingredients act as the "cheese" as they mimic the texture and flavor.
Palasha says
Update: Omg it tastes like icecream! I didn't add any sweetener to the filling since already longan was really sweet. And for base, since I used up all of my cashews for filling, I used dates+peanuts+cocoa powder. It's so delicious!
Audrey says
Thanks so much for sharing your modifications. Interesting you liked this even without the sweetener! :)
Palasha says
Making this while I type, just want to say the filling is so delicious! I had found some longan fruit in my local grocery store( which is quite rare!) and remembered your recipe. Can't wait for it to freeze up.
★★★★★
Audrey says
That's awesome, Palasha :) I'm so glad the recipe gave you a nudge to pick up some longan fruit. Enjoy it!
Bonnie says
What would be the ideal replacement for longan fruit if unable to locate? Thank you.
Audrey says
Hi Bonnie. So... interesting question :) Without the longan fruit in this, it could just taste like a plain classic cheesecake with a few adjustments (replace longan fruit with 2 tbsp lemon juice for "cheesecake" or with almond milk for a creamy ice cream-like cake instead).
If you were going for something a little exotic, but haven't been able to find longan, you could order a bit of longan powder online. Otherwise I'm not sure. I've made a beautiful cake with physallis before -- very similar, also interesting flavor and texture, though it will be yellow (not sure if it matters). But that's an idea. Also lychee is a good option.
I went with longan here because it creates a very unique and special spin on a more classic cake, so am having a hard time providing a clear answer because I'm not sure if you chose this recipe because of its look, because you just want cheesecake, or because you like the sound of the flavor? I hope my answers above help you out, if not let me know what you're thinking and I'll see if I can come up with other solutions.
Bonnie says
Your answer definitely helps...I understand now that longan is a unique and irreplaceable flavor. I will definitely see if I can find it because I love trying out new and unique flavors. If not fresh, will try the powder. Thank you for the suggestion. Also lychee sounds like a great idea! Physallis is another one that's new to me, so I'm excited to find and try it, too! Thank you for taking the time to get back to me with great suggestions!
Audrey says
No worries, Bonnie -- happy to help :) Have fun exploring!
Cassie says
Never heard of longans before! They look really delicious. I love the way you used them in this amazing recipe!
Audrey says
Oh, they're so good -- I hope you get to try them out sometime. I love highlighting things like this in recipes because I know that if you don't even know about something you'll just miss it so easily at the shop. Longans are currently in season here so I was hoping people can take advantage :)
Mimi says
This is incredible. I thought perhaps you were talking about dragon fruit, but no! I've never come across this one! Gorgeous cheesecake photos. Love the presentation!
Audrey says
Well, dragonfruit is absolutely lovely too :) But longan "berries" have a really beautiful flavor -- stronger and sweeter than dragonfruit, but with the same element of "etherealness" or "lightness", if that makes sense.
Mila says
hello Audrey!:)
Are there any recipes of yours where I could add/replace a fruit with dragon fruit or maracuja/ passion fruit to the filling?
Audrey says
Hi Mila, you can use maracuja instead of granadilla here: https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/granadilla-vegan-cheesecake-dessert :)
Lana says
I saw this beauty and ran to the store for longan fruit. Audrey, you are a Queen of desserts! It turned out so delicate, silky smooth and plain delicious. Loved how fragrant it was. Thank you so much!
ps-do you get notifications on Instagram when I tag you? Seems like you don't... Just wanted to double check :)
Audrey says
Hi Lana,
I'm so happy you liked it! :) And that you were able to find longan so easily. Made my day reading that. I can't wait to see your remake on IG :)
P.S. I've only been able to very partially check instagram the last few weeks as I've been moving and it's been a bit tough to keep on top of all comments, emails, social media comments, and tags so I haven't had a chance to check everything yet, but am in the process of catching up now and will hopefully see it all soon :) Thank you as always for sharing your remakes and feedback -- really appreciated!
Lana says
Hi Audrey! Thank you for getting back to me. Hope your move is going fine. It is so hard to keep track of things on social media when you have boxes to pack and unpack :) Longan fruit is awesome and is in stores now for a low price. It's so delicate and yummy. Thank you for your amazing recipes! ❤️
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
I've never heard of longan fruit but this is stunning and the sound of cheesecake x ice cream greatly appeals!
Audrey says
Good -- glad I could introduce you to a new fruit then :) It's really lovely on its own, but I loved it in this cake so much.
Mary says
Hi can I use 20 lychee here instead of longan ?
Audrey says
Hi Mary, You can definitely swap longan for lychees here if that flavor works better for you. Only thing is lychees tend to be bigger than longan (at least the ones I've seen), so you might want to use a bit less.