This is the healthy, raw and vegan cheesecake of your dreams – with a fruity twist, thanks to the goodness of kiwifruit! You would never guess it’s healthy as it’s so thick, rich and creamy.

The benefits of kiwifruit:

• •  Kiwifruit has 100% of your daily vitamin C needs in just one fruit.
  • low FODMAP and low GI
  • contains folate which contributes to normal immune system function

I like the use the gold kiwi fruit as it’s naturally super sweet, refreshing and delicious!

 

How to make a vegan cheesecake

Kiwifruit: I am using gold for it’s superior, sweet flavour! You could also substitute other fruit like strawberries if you like.

Cashew Butter: cashews are neutral tasting and absorb other flavours – perfect for vegan cheesecakes as they also provide creaminess! Substitute for any other nut or seed butter.

Medjool Dates: these are sweetest, juciest kind of dates. If your dates are not moist, you can soak them for 10 minutes in boiling water, drain and they should plump up beautifully

Dairy Free milk: I used unsweetened almond milk, but you can also use soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk, etc.

Lemon Juice:  Reacts with the sugar in the dates to give the cheesecake a slight tang. You won’t taste the lemon at all.

Vanilla Extract: an essential in dessert cooking!

More vegan recipes to make:

Pumpkin Pie Cinnamon Scrolls (Vegan!)

Vegan Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Healthy Oat Bread

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup (140g) almonds (I like to pre-roast mine for 10 minutes at 160C for extra flavour)
• 6–8 (125g) medjool dates, pitted
• 1/4 tsp salt

Kiwi “Cheesecake” Filling

• 1 1/2 cups (180g) @ZespriAU SunGold Kiwifruit, skinned
• 6 (100g) medjool dates, pitted (soak for 10 minutes in boiling water if they’re not juicy and moist)
• 3/4 cup (190g) cashew butter*
• 1/3 cup non-dairy milk (I use almond milk)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional topping: 1 cup (210g) @ZespriAU SunGold Kiwifruit, sliced

Method

1. In a blender or food processor, blitz the crust ingredients until it starts to clump together into a dough – you may have to add 1-2 tablespoons water depending on how moist your dates are. Press the crust into a 6-inch pan lined with baking paper. Chill in refrigerator.
2. Blend all filling ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour on top of the crust, tapping the pan so the top is smooth. Decorate with sliced kiwifruit if desired. Freeze overnight or for at least 8 hours.
3. Thaw for about 5 minutes at room temperature before slicing and eating. Keep in the freezer for up to a month.

Tip

*Can substitute almonds for any other kinds of nuts, seeds, or oats.
**Can substitute with other nut or seed butter, but raw cashew butter has the most neutral flavour and tastes best as a “cheesecake”.