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Butterfly Pea Flower Cheesecake

raw vegan
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Did the name or the blue color of this cheesecake draw your attention? Or did some foreign force take control of your finger and without thought you found yourself clicking on the title of the recipe? There may be a deeper reason as to why. The color blue represents both the sky and the sea and is associated with open spaces, freedom, intuition, imagination, expansiveness, inspiration, and sensitivity. Blue also represents meanings of depth, trust, loyalty, sincerity, wisdom, confidence, stability, faith, heaven, and intelligence. And you thought you were just hungry for cheesecake?! pft! Your inner being was calling out to you.

raw vegan

Organic Dried Butterfly Pea Tea

What are butterfly peas and what the heck are they doing in my cheesecake!? Butterfly pea is a climbing legume. The stems of the plant are covered with short, soft hairs and beautiful funnel-shaped flowers. The flowers come in different colors including pink, white, and dark blue. These flowers are used to make tea which is reminiscent of green tea.

What’s most interesting about this exotic tea is its ability to change colors. The secret lies in its pH level — the drink changes color depending on the pH of any ingredient that’s added to it. At its first brew, the tea has a deep, midnight blue color. If you add a squeeze of lemon or any acidic liquid, it changes to a beautiful, rich violet. Add hibiscus flowers, and the drink will turn bright red. You can even reverse the color-change by adding baking soda, so your purple liquid turns back blue right in front of your eyes.

According to a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, the tea is highly valued in Ayurvedic medicine and has been consumed for centuries as a memory enhancer, brain booster, and anti-stress and calmative agent. (source) To learn more about all the health benefits of this wondrous flower tea, click (here).

Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener

In the ingredient list, I suggest using either maple syrup or the Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener. Neither one is “raw,” but I use both for various reasons. “Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener is the only zero calorie, zero glycemic sweetener that is just like sugar. It is made from Monk Fruit which was used for centuries in traditional eastern herbalism to increase chi and well-being, earning it the nickname “The Immortals’ Fruit.” We still grow and harvest Monk Fruit for LAKANTO® in the same pristine area and according to traditional and environmental methods.”

Decorating the Cheesecake

When it comes to decorating the top of the cheesecake, be creative. I had these little pinwheels for about a year now, just waiting for the perfect time to be used. Today was the day and I just love them. :)  The dark blue topper is made from Butterfly Pea Tea, a little sweetener, and agar. One day while I was lolly-gagging around Michael’s Craft Store, I spotted a Silicone Fondant impression mat that was 50% off. I don’t use fondant, but I just knew that I would find a way to utilize this fun mat. I will post a link to what I am referring to, but it’s not the exact pattern as mine. Click (here) to see what these mats look like.

These mats come in different sizes and with all sorts of fun patterns, so if this creative idea sparks interest, visit your local Michael’s Craft Store or a bakery supply store. The mat that I found was pretty large, so I used the base of the Springform pan to cut a pattern. You want to make sure that it lays flat when you set it in the base of the pan to create the topper. If it bubbles, the agar mixture will get under it and ruin the pattern. (see photos below)

That about sums it up, today folks. I now deliver to you a creamy, velvety, pillowy baby blue cheesecake that is raw, vegan, gluten-free and filled with butterfly pea. (lol that was wrong of me but downright funny) Have a blessed and happy day, amie sue

raw veganIngredients:

9″ Springform pan 

Crust:

  • 1 cups rolled gluten-free oats, soaked and dehydrated
  • 2 1/4 cups shredded coconut
  • 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
  • 1/2 tsp liquid stevia
  • 1/4 cup coconut butter, softened or 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
Filling:

Top Decoration (optional):

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp Organic Dried Butterfly Pea Flower buds
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp agar powder

Piped Frosting option:

Preparation:

Top Decoration (optional):

  1. This part can be made days in advance. Store in the fridge, well covered. Due to the agar, they won’t melt at room temperature (FYI).
  2. Prepare the Springform pan by lining the base with plastic wrap. I bought an imprinted fondant mat from Michael’s Craft Store and cut out a circle that fit within the walls of the Springform pan. Make sure the printed side is facing up.
  3. Steep the dried flower buds in water for 30+ minutes. Once done, strain the buds, squeeze the excess water from them, then toss them out.
  4. In a small saucepan combine the tea, maple syrup, and the agar powder, whisk together, and let the agar bloom for about 5 minutes.
  5. Turn the burner on medium and once the mixture starts to create soft bubbles, turn the heat down to simmer and cook for roughly 5 minutes until the agar is dissolved.
  6. Pour the mixture into the Springform pan and chill till firm (takes about 30 minutes).
  7. Store in the fridge in an airtight container while you make the cheesecake.
Crust:
  1. Assemble a Springform pan with the bottom facing up, the opposite way from how it comes assembled. This assembly will help you when removing the cheesecake from the pan, not having to fight with the lip. Wrap the base with plastic wrap to make it easier to remove the pie when done, unless you plan on serving the cake on the bottom of the pan.
    • Totally optional, but you can line the inside of the Springform ring with what is referred to as; Acetate Cake Collars. I use them off and on to help with the successful and clean removal of the cheesecake from the sides of the pan.
    • Simply line the inside of the pan and secure the two ends with a piece of tape. It is best to overlap the ends by at least 1/2″.  Continue to make the crust, press the ingredients into the pan, and pour in the filling.
    • Once the cheesecake is firm/solid, remove the outer ring and gently peel off the acetate. You can reuse the acetate by carefully washing it with a warm soapy rag.
  2. Place the oats, coconut, and salt in the food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, and process until the coconut is broken down to a fine of a powder.  It took about 30 seconds with my machine.
  3. Add stevia, coconut oil, water, and maple syrup. Process until the mixture sticks together when pinched.
  4. Distribute the crust evenly on the bottom of the pan, using even and gentle pressure. If you press too hard, it might stick to the base of the pan, making it hard to remove slices.
    • See the “crust photo” below on what style of crust you want to create.
  5. Set aside while you make the cheesecake batter.

Filling:

  1. Let’s start by making the Organic Dried Butterfly Pea Tea.
    • Steep ten flowers, fresh or dried, in a cup of hot water, let sit for 15 minutes. When there is no color left in the petal, strain the liquid and discard the flowers. You will be left with a fantastic indigo-colored tea. Pour into the blender when done.
  2. Drain the soaked cashews and discard the soak water. Place in a high-speed blender along with the coconut milk, sweetener, lemon juice, vanilla, stevia, and salt.
    • Due to the volume and the creamy texture that we are going after, it is important to use a high-powered blender. It could be too taxing on a lower-end model.
    • Blend until the filling is creamy smooth. You shouldn’t detect any grit. If you do, keep blending.
    • This process can take 2-4 minutes, depending on the strength of the blender. Keep your hand cupped around the base of the blender carafe to feel for warmth. If the batter is getting too warm, stop the machine and let it cool. Then proceed once cooled.
  3. With a vortex going in the blender, drizzle in the coconut oil, and then add the lecithin. Blend just long enough to incorporate everything together, don’t over-process. The batter will start to thicken.
    • What is a vortex? Look into the container from the top and slowly increase the speed from low to high, the batter will form a small vortex (or hole) in the center. High-powered machines have containers that are designed to create a controlled vortex, systematically folding ingredients back to the blades for smoother blends and faster processing, instead of just spinning ingredients around, hoping they find their way to the blades.
    • If your machine isn’t powerful enough or built to do this, you may need to stop the unit often to scrape the sides down.

Cheesecake Assembly:

  1. Pour the filling into the premade crust and gently tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
  2. Chill in the freezer for 4-6 hours and then in the fridge for 12 hours.
  3. Once firm, add the blue agar decoration and continue to decorate if desired.
  4. The cheesecake with the topper should be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. Be sure that they are well sealed to avoid fridge odors.
    • You can make the cheesecake and freeze for 1-3 months and once thawed you can then add the agar topper. I tested freezing the agar topper and when it thawed it shrunk some, so best to use it fresh.
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6 thoughts on “Butterfly Pea Flower Cheesecake”

  1. [email protected] says:
    May 13, 2019 at 4:38 pm

    Hi Amie Sue,
    How did you make the piped border on the cake?
    it looks like buttercream, what is it ?

    Thanks,

    Lilly

    Reply
  2. Leya says:
    May 15, 2019 at 1:44 am

    Hi AmieSue,

    This is a recipe that I will certainly try after my 28 day juice fast. I got butterfly pea tea in Thailand and recently experimenting with adding it in my water kefir, it’s a such a magical ingredient. It works beautifully in chia puddings too.
    Can’t wait to try it in cheesecake. Thank you for the recipe ❤️🌷

    Reply
  3. H says:
    May 8, 2023 at 9:58 am

    Beautiful

    Reply

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