This raw cheesecake concentrates the comforting aromas of the eggnog of the festive season, between vanilla, cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. Its crunchy base of almonds and cacao contrasts beautifully with the smoothness of the cashew filling. Served in individual portions, it always makes an impression at a celebratory meal.
Raw Eggnog-Style Cheesecake with Vanilla, Cinnamon and Nutmeg
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Ingredients
Base
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
- 1.5 tablespoons cacao powder
- just under 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon water
Filling
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 30 to 60 minutes then thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup light agave syrup
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1.5 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut butter
- 2 drops of stevia (optional)
Preparation
- For the base, blend the almonds, the coconut and the cacao in the food processor until you have a fine powder.
- Add the raisins and blend until they are completely incorporated.
- Add the water and blend briefly: the mixture should hold together when pressed between your fingers.
- Divide the mixture between the bases of small individual moulds (the quantity makes about 5 cakes, plus 2 mini-muffins).
- For the filling, blend the water, the cashews and the agave in a high-speed blender until smooth.
- Add all the other filling ingredients and blend again until the mixture is even.
- Divide the filling over the bases.
- Place in the freezer for 8 to 12 hours, then unmould and transfer to the fridge for at least 6 hours, or until completely thawed.
Tip
Choose light agave if you want to keep the cheesecake pale: coconut nectar or maple syrup will tint the filling a caramel shade.
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FAQ: your questions about the raw eggnog-style cheesecake
Can you make a no-bake cheesecake the day before?
It is even recommended, and for this raw version it is compulsory: allow 8 to 12 hours in the freezer for the filling to set, then at least 6 hours in the fridge for it to become creamy again. So make it two days ahead if you are serving it at lunchtime. The cinnamon and nutmeg aromas also come through far better after a night's rest.
Is cheesecake baked or raw?
Both exist. The New York cheesecake is baked in the oven, often in a water bath; the so-called no-bake versions set in the cold, thanks to gelatine, agar-agar or, as here, fats that firm up — coconut oil and coconut butter. The raw version goes further still: nothing is heated, neither the base nor the filling.
Can a cheesecake be made with or without baking?
Yes, and the choice mainly changes the texture. Baked, it is dense and lightly set, like a custard. Without baking, it is fluffier and fresher, and it does not take kindly to room temperature: serve it straight from the fridge. For a plant-based version like this one, no-bake is the obvious route, since the cashew filling needs no heat to hold together.
How can you tell whether cinnamon is Ceylon cinnamon?
Look at the stick. Ceylon cinnamon is made up of several thin layers rolled inside one another, like a cigar, and crumbles easily under the fingers; its colour is pale, beige-brown. Chinese cinnamon, known as cassia, forms a single thick, hard roll of a deep reddish brown. On the palate, Ceylon is softer and more floral, cassia sharper.
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