Raw Lavender Cheesecake with Hazelnut Crust

• Vegetarian

• Produce

  • 1/4 cup Blueberries, fresh
  • 2 cups Dates, pitted
  • 1/4 cup Lavender buds, dried
  • 1 Zucchini, large

• Condiments

  • 1 Honey
  • 1/2 cup Lavender simple syrup
  • 1 Lavender simple syrup
  • 2 tbsp Maple syrup

• Baking & Spices

  • 4 tbsp Agar flakes
  • 1 tsp Cardamom, ground
  • 1 cup Coconut sugar
  • 1 Filling
  • 1 1/8 tsp Sea salt
  • 1 Vanilla bean

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1/2 cup Coconut oil, organic
  • 1 tbsp Coconut oil

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 2 cups Cashews, raw
  • 1/2 cup Hazelnuts, lightly roasted
  • 1 cup Walnuts, lightly roasted

• Bread & Baked Goods

  • 1 Hazelnut crust

• Liquids

  • 1 cup Water, filtered

Found on nutritionstripped.com

Description

Ingredients

• FILLING
• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours
• 1 large zucchini, chopped
• ½ cup organic cold-pressed coconut oil
• ½ cup Lavender Simple Syrup (see recipe below)
• 4 tablespoons agar flakes
• 1 vanilla bean, scraped (yields about 1 teaspoon vanilla beans)
• ¼ cup fresh blueberries
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• ⅛ teaspoon of sea salt, adjust to taste
• honey, for garnish
• LAVENDER SIMPLE SYRUP
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup filtered water
• ¼ cup dried lavender buds (save about 1 teaspoon for garnish)
• HAZELNUT CRUST
• 2 cups dates, pitted (about 20 large dates)
• 1 cup walnuts, lightly roasted
• ½ cup hazelnuts, lightly roasted
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cardamom, ground

Directions

• Soak cashews for at least 2 hours in water, discard the water, this is for the filling.
• For the hazelnut crust: Start by lightly roasting the walnuts and hazelnuts. In a medium-high dry skillet, place the walnuts and hazelnuts in the pan and gently toss back and forth with a wood spoon or spatula until lightly browned and fragrant- be careful not to overcook these, nuts/seeds burn very quickly. Make coarse flour by grinding the nuts into a food processor or nut/seed grinder.
• Transfer to a food processor, and blend the nuts with the pitted dates. Continually scrape the sides of the bowl until the mixture started to come together. Add in the melted coconut oil and seasonings for the crust, this mixture will be sticky. Using coconut oil, grease a spring form pie pan and evenly press the crust into the bottom, working your way from the center out. Spread evenly and applying pressure with your fingertips.
• Once the crust has been evenly spread across the bottom, you have the choice to create a small side edge by pressing the crust mixture onto the side, if you prefer to leave the crust just on the bottom, skip this step. Place the crust in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or freezer for 2 hours until hardened.
• For the lavender simple syrup: Add coconut sugar to a saucepan with the filtered water and bring it to a boil. Add dried lavender to this simple syrup mixture, set the timer and boil for 20 minutes or until it becomes thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Stir occasionally. It will overall reduce to a syrup consistency. Use a strainer filter out the dried lavender. Set to cool for about 20 minutes or until room temperature.
• For the filling: In a small saucepan add agar flakes and 5 tablespoons of the ½ cup reserved Lavender Simple Syrup, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and whisk constantly. After it’s combined, reduce heat to low and cover pot to simmer for 15 minutes or until all agar flakes have dissolved. Whisk, remove from heat, uncover until blending with the other ingredients below.
• Add soaked cashews, chopped zucchini, coconut oil, filtered water, lavender simple syrup, vanilla, agar flakes and maple syrup, and sea salt to a high-speed blender and blend. Add in blueberries 1 tablespoon at a time, just until you reach the desired color. Adjust to taste by adding salt or sweetness (by adding a bit more lavender simple syrup).
• To serve: Pour the cheesecake filling into the pie hardened pie crust, in the pan and spread evenly. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours- overnight or the freezer for 3-4 hours until hard. When you’re ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the pie form/tin, slice suing a warmed knife (running it under hot water for a minute). The cheesecake should be cool. I recommended leaving out at room temperature for about 20 minutes before eating just enough time for the cheesecake to thaw and for the center to stay cool. Serve with honey and garnish with dried or fresh lavender.