Friday, January 25, 2013

Happy 2013, readers! Black Cat Bakery is back after taking a brief hiatus. Since Spring of 2012, I've started experimenting with all sorts of new recipes, most of which are vegan and a few that are raw. Adopting a much more adventuresome approach to cooking and baking has allowed me to experience more than my fair share of wonderful and terrifyingly unforgettable moments.

Around August of last year, I tried my first raw cheesecake. I honestly didn't know what to expect. I had heard about creating a vegan cheesecake out of cashews but I had never attempted to make one. My boyfriend asked for a raw cheesecake for his birthday, so, begrudgingly, I obliged. I set about the process of finding a good recipe and researching more into that particular technique. As it turned out, my partner has two good friends who run a fabulous raw vegan catering business and video blog- Vegan Shortcake. One of their posts tackled a "raw vegan blackberry cheesecake." I vigilantly watched the episode and I took notes, just in case I got confused. As I soon came to realize, it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be to create a cheesecake from nuts and it was actually considerably less complicated to make than a non-vegan cheesecake. Each bite of the cheesecake was decadently smooth; it melted in my mouth and the flavor-packed crunch of the crust just solidified my opinion on the matter- I am a huge fan of raw cheesecakes.

Since making that first cheesecake, I've been working on a recipe of my own- a Strawberry, Pomegranate cheesecake. With it's ruby red color and seasonally appropriate fruit, it's the perfect treat for the coming snowy nights of winter.

















(Inspired by Vegan Shortcake)

Crust-
1 cup raw Almonds
1/2 cup Freeze-dried pomegranate seeds
1/3 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp Cocoa powder
1/2 cup shredded Coconut
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
3-4 oz. Prune paste*
pinch of Salt

Filling-
3 cups raw Cashews, soaked*
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp Pomegranate concentrate
8 medium Strawberries
1/2 cup Agave nectar
 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp Pomegranate molasses
1/2 cup Almond milk
1 1/4 tsp Coconut extract
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup Coconut oil, melted
1 Tbsp organic Red food coloring

Begin by lightly coating the bottom of a 9" springform pan with coconut oil or cooking spray.

Coarsely chop the almonds and chocolate chips together in a food processor. Pour the mixture into a large bowl. Add the cocoa powder, pomegranate seeds, shredded coconut, salt and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly.

*To make the prune paste, process the prunes together with several tablespoons of water. It should be sticky and slightly watery.

Stir the prunes paste into the nut mixture. The crust will be ready to use when you squeeze it in your hands and it holds it's shape. Press the mixture down into the bottom of the springform pan.

Using a large blender or sturdy immersion blender, begin the filling by chopping up the drained cashews, milk, agave, concentrate and molasses.

*Prepare the cashews ahead of time by covering them completely with water and allowing them to soak. Cover them and refrigerate them for a minimum of 5 hours. 

Add in the extracts, strawberries and red food coloring. Blend for 5-10 minutes. You want the filling to be silky smooth. If you can feel tiny bits of nuts with your fingers, continue blending. Once you've reached the right consistency, slowly pour in the coconut oil. Mix thoroughly.

Pour the pomegranate filling into the springform pan. Smooth out the top with a spatula. Tap it several times down on the counter to allow any air bubbles to rise to the top. Smooth the top over once more. Cover the pan and let it cool for a minimum of 5 hours.