Luscious White Chocolate Cheesecake on a Fudgy Brownie Crust | A Rich and Decadent Vegan Dessert

A homemade brownie is topped with a white chocolate cheesecake and adorned with more chocolate and sliced almonds. An easy dessert to assemble with the wow-factor in full-force. It's a very rich dessert yet is somehow laced with good health. From almonds to dates to cacao powder you can find all that and more. This is a #plantbased/#vegan, #glutenfree and #oilfree dessert yet you'd never ever know it.  I spent time perfecting the "perfect" cheesecake and this is my take. It is the Luscious Cheesecake from "The Artistic Vegan Cookbook: An Alchemical Transformation" dressed up as I was celebrating my birthday!

I created this dessert for my birthday, celebrated yesterday and ohhh my, was it a treat. 

Here are some fun random notes to myself in case I shall forget along this winding journey and perhaps you can glean something from it. These are in no order. Enjoy!
 
Notes to self:

• Take time to rest. 
• LOVE unconditionally.
• Take a walk. Move. Stretch.
• Have some fun!
• Take alone time.
• Meditate.
• Do yoga.
• Eat well. 
• Music, art, dancing = good for the soul!
• Spend time in nature.
• Unplug.
• Watch a chick flick.
• Take a bath.
• Travel.
• Buy a new outfit or pamper self in some way.
• Structural Integration = a priority and a must! 
• ​Ensure to call family!!
• Dip toes in the ocean, better yet jump in!
• 20 Minutes of cleanup a day makes a world of a difference.
• Being kind and compassionate feels so much better than being mean.
• Self Love. Truly loving me is worth more than gold.
• As Gerald said "find your passion and share it" it's not always rainbows and white chocolate cheesecake, but I wouldn't want it any other way.
• Live your dream, come alive, share and glow! Shrinking back doesn't serve you or others.
• You can't please everyone. 
• Do your best and overdeliver.
• Listen to affirmations. 
• Journal.
• Enjoy the gift of life! 
• Find something that scares you and try to face it.
• Follow your big beautiful heart.
• Trust.
• Breathe.
• Forgive and let go. 
• Selfless service to others is beautiful.

Fudgy Plant-Based Brownie Crust
1/2 Cup Almond Butter 
1 Cup Packed Pitted Dates
2 Tbsp Flax Meal
6 Tbsp Water
2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Almond Flour
1/2 Cup Cacao or Cocoa Powder 
1/4 tsp Salt

Luscious White Chocolate Cheesecake​
1 1/2 Cups Cashews (Soaked until soft, drained and rinsed)
1/4 Cup Sweetener of choice (agave, maple syrup, coconut sugar...)
1/4 Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice (or lemon or lime)
1 Tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract (or 1 bean)
Opt: 1/2 tsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 Cup Dairy Free Milk (coconut is wonderful)
1/4 Cup Cacao Butter - Melted 

Peaceful Preparation:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F, well grease a 9" springform pan and dust with cacao powder to prevent sticking, or line with parchment paper.
2. Mix the flax meal and water and set aside. 
3. Combine the dates and almond butter in a blender or food processor, pulse for about one minute. Add the congealed flax mixture and vanilla, take it another minute or so until it is very smooth and has very little date chunks remaining.
4. Transfer to a bowl, sift in the flour, cacao powder and salt (unless using a chunky salt). Gently fold together until just combined. This does take a little time. 
5. Transfer to the prepared springform pan, use wet hands or spatula to spread out evenly on the base. Bake for 15-20 minutes, I took mine 17 minutes. Cool on a cooling rack, once cool, place in the freezer and make the cheesecake.
6. Blend the cheesecake ingredients on high for 50 seconds, I went on juice setting to really pulverize it. Once luxuriously smooth pour it over the brownie crust. Freeze overnight, opt to cover. Top as desired. Best thawed for 20 minutes at room temperature or an hour in the fridge before serving.  

For this variety: 

1. When ready to serve make the chocolate (3 tbsp cacao powder, 3 tbsp coconut oil, 3 tbsp maple or agave syrup or melt chocolate) if coconut oil is not quite melted it will be thick, if it is, place in the fridge for a little bit to thicken.
2. Place a heart cookie cutter on the cheesecake once it is removed from the springform pan, spread the chocolate inside the cooking cutter using a small spatula. Remove the cookie cutter.
3. Add 2-4 Tbsp slivered almonds around the heart. Slice and serve. 

Helpful Tips:

• Use your favorite nut or seed butter. This replaces oil so it could also be coconut oil, cacao butter or coconut butter.
• Use preferred flour.
• No dates? Use favorite sweetener like Maple Syrup - 3/4 Cup. 
• Can't wait? Place the brownies in a 8x8 dish, bake 20-25 minutes and enjoy straight away even with chocolate chips on top. 
• No Cacao Butter? Skip the white chocolate part and use a coconut butter or coconut oil and it'll still be remarkably good. Trust me!!

Watch how to make it and see the fun hungry hippos that come to eat the cheesecake at the end made just for you (and me) by Mr. Clark!! ​​​Plus he even picked me some birds of paradise and snapped a couple pics of me with the cheescake.Thanks sweetheart! ?