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Tahini Persimmon Cheesecake

Slice of non-dairy tahini persimmon cheesecake

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5 from 2 reviews

A lovely vegan cheesecake with the rich and warming flavors of tahini and persimmon. Gluten-free. Refined sugar-free.

Ingredients

*Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before getting started*

Crust

Filling

  • 12 cup raw cashews, pre-soaked and strained**
  • 1 small persimmon, rough chopped (97gr)
  • 3 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 12 tsp salt
  • 18 tsp turmeric powder
  • 18 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp runny / creamy tahini (hulled)***

Optional Toppings

  • sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Process all crust ingredients in a food processor into a sticky fine crumble. Transfer the mixture into a 5" springform pan and press down into an even crust along the base. Freeze while working on next step.
  2. Blend all filling ingredients, except tahini, in a power blender into a smooth consistency. Spoon in some of this mixture into the pan over the prepared crust, then drizzle a bit of tahini, then spoon in some more of the mixture, and a bit more tahini. Continue alternating like this until you run out of the filling mixture. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to even out the mixture. You can use a small skewer or toothpick to lightly swirl the two mixtures together in the pan. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds around the edges.
  3. Freeze for 5-6 hours to set. Thaw out on the counter for 10 minutes or so and enjoy! (Keep leftovers frozen****).

Notes

*It's important all ingredients are at room temperature before getting started, especially for the filling. This is because when coconut oil touches cold stuff it solidifies, which if happens inside your blender or food processor would mean that the mixtures aren't going to get mixed through evenly and can end up chunky or poorly blended. So make sure things like maple syrup or almond milk, etc. are brought to room temperature first.

** 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.

*** The better tasting the tahini, the better tasting the cake will be. Try to use a fresher batch of tahini, so it's creamy and at least somewhat runny for best results here.

**** Treat this cake like ice cream -- it's a dessert that will melt if left out at room temperature too long. Store any leftovers in the freezer.