Bing Cherry Cheesecake
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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~
There are over 1,000 different varieties of cherries. For the majority of my life, I thought there were just one… red, plump, sweet, and juicy ones. That was all that I needed to know. This cheesecake is rich with cherries… so if you don’t care for cherries, this recipe isn’t for you but for those of you who love cherries, don’t move! Stay put! Read, make, and enjoy.
Here, at Oldfather Farms, we have a small cherry orchard that consists of Bings and Rainiers which I am head over heels for. I am not about to sit here and list out every cherry that exists, but I will list out a few that grow in our local community.
My whole purpose behind sharing this information with you is that the different cherries have different tastes, just like apples and you might find that you prefer one cherry over the other.
- Bing Cherries ~ are the king of cherries and well-known. They are sweet, dark in color, and quite succulent.
- Lapin Cherries ~ are colossal in size and taste much like the Bing cherry.
- Rainier Cherries ~ are milder than Bing’s. They are a yellow cherry that is given a last-minute blush of color (by putting reflective mylar under the trees) which gives them the red underbellies. They are the sweetest of the bunch.
- Skeena Cherries ~ are large, deep dark red to the point of almost being black. They are firm, crisp, and they are about as sweet as they are rich in color.
- Sweetheart Cherries ~ are large, bright red, and mature later in the season. They are sweet but not too sugary.
- Regina Cherries ~ are a new cherry on the block that started in Germany. They are a deep-red cherry that is sweet with a firm crunch.
Ingredients:
yields one 9” deep tart pan (16 slices)
Crust:
- 1 1/4 cup cashews, soaked & dehydrated
- 1/2 cup rolled gluten-free oats, soaked & dehydrated
- 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
- 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
- 1/4 cup cold-pressed coconut oil, softened
- 6 Tbsp water
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
Cherry layer:
- 2 cups organic cherries
- 4 Medjool dates, pitted
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
Filling:
- 3 cups raw cashews, soaked 2+ hours
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 3/4 cup raw maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt
- 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 3 Tbsp sunflower lecithin powder
Coulis: yields 1/3 cup
- 1/2 cup organic cherries
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp cold-pressed coconut oil
Preparation:
Crust:
- Line the base of the Springform pan with plastic wrap. Set aside.
- Place the cashews, oats, coconut, and salt in a food processor, fitted with an “S” blade. Process until it reaches a small crumble. About 15 seconds.
- Add the oil, water, and maple syrup. Process until the batter sticks together. The batter will seem a bit wet, that is all right.
- Place the crust in the pan and start pressing the dough into the base of the pan and up the sides of the pan (if you wish). Wetting your fingers will help so the batter doesn’t stick to your fingers. Once done set aside while you make the filling.
Cherry layer:
- In a food processor, fitted with an “S” blade, puree the cherries, chia seeds, and dates.
- Pour over crust and dehydrate at 145 degrees for 30-60 minutes. Concerned about 145 degrees? Read (here).
- Drain the soaked cashews and discard the soak water. Place in a high-speed blender.
- In a high-powered blender combine the; cashews, water, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla, 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.
- You can use a different liquid sweetener if you are not comfortable with maple syrup. Just be aware of the different flavors and colors that the sweetener might impart in the cake.
- 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.
- Pour the batter into the pan.
- Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
- Chill in the freezer for 4-6 hours and then in the fridge for 12 hours.
- Store the cheesecake in the fridge for 3-5 days or up to 3 months in the freezer. Be sure that they are well sealed to avoid fridge odors.
Coulis and assembly:
- In the blender combine the cherries, maple syrup, and oil until creamy and smooth. The oils help the coulis from being too watery.
- Pour into a squeeze bottle.
- To create the swirl effect, poke the nipple of the squeeze bottle into the cheesecake batter. Gently squeeze the bottle as you slowly withdraw, allowing some of the coulis to bubble out on top. Do this all over the cake.
- Then take a skewer stick and drag it through the coulis dots creating a swirl.
- Store the cheesecake in the fridge overnight to set up or in the freezer. Take out of the freezer and cut into 16 slices. Serve right away or allow it to rest for 10-20 minutes to soften.
© AmieSue.com
Tags: Dairy Free, Dehydrated, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, Vegan
Hello Amie Sue, I’m a new subscriber to your beautiful site and I’ve got to say it’s my favorite raw site ever!
Welcome Rhonda and thank you so much. As you browse through the recipes please feel free to leave comments or questions that may arise. I answer them all and it is my heart to inspire you! Have a blessed weekend, amie sue
I love yor web. Thanks a lot for the recipes. Bless you
Thank you Alma :)
Another masterpiece by You :)) cannot wait to somehow make this gorgeous cake… :)) lucky those who has already tasted it! BLESSINGS,
Awe thank you Afsaneh, you are always so sweet! Blessings, amie sue
Can I do the recipe without soaking and drying the cashews and oats for the crust?
I don’t have any problems digesting nuts..
I dont have a dehydrator nor the patience to do it on oven haha but I want to try this beautiful cake :)
I love cherries!
It is not my recommendation but you can. :)
Hello Amie Sue! :)
I am sorry if I make some mistakes writing this because English is not my native language.
First I just wanted to tell you that I really love your blog and your recipes.
Every time I visit this blog, it just makes me really happy and puts a smile on my face. You seem like really nice and kind person.
I have been vegetarian for five years and some day I really would love to become a vegan or eat raw food. It is not really possible for me just yet because I am student and live in a dorm which complicates things.
Like I mentioned I don’t live in America and where I live, eating raw is not popular at all (not that it is really popular anywhere but anyway) and I am not able to get some ingredients for most of raw recipes.
But I really hope that one day it will possible for me to eat raw (Luckily I have lifetime ahead of me to do that because I am only 19 years old).
Anyway I guess I just wanted to say that you really inspire me and it was your blog that showed me eating raw doesn’t mean eating only salad like most of people think when I tell them about eating raw, and your blog actually made me want to eat raw or at least vegan. Every single recipe looks so good and tasty.
Thank you for making this amazing blog Amie!
Keep up the good work!;)
Welcome to my site Paige,
Don’t worry about your English. English is my native language and I even struggle with it. hehe
Thank you for all your kind words. Knowing that I bring a smile to your face, makes my day. :)
I can understand the challenges that you face with living in dorms and in another country that doesn’t carry the same ingredients in the stores. It is all about doing the best you can, with what you have. Your body will honor you for that. Even though all my recipes are mainly raw, it is my encouragement to you to eat accordingly to how your body responds best. We all digest and utilize foods so differently in our bodies so don’t feel that you are doing your body any less justice by eating cooked foods, or even animal protein. Just make sure your diet is FULL of whole foods (no processed if possible), organic (when available) and if you eat animal protein always aim for grass-fed, hormone free, etc. Raw foods are a wonderful balance to any diet. Blessings and health to you Paige. amie sue
Thank you for your nice response and advice, you made my day a little bit brighter :)
I know there are only raw food recipes and it is encouraging me for future when I will be able to live my life like I want it and eat raw or vegan. :D
I am trying to do the best I can with eating healthy. Like I said I am vegetarian and I don’t eat animal protein because I simply can`t stand the idea of it.
Thank you, Amie Sue!
I wish you the best :)
Your welcome Paige. :) We need support to get us on track… my recipes will always be here, waiting for the time that you can try making them. Enjoy your studies and many blessing on your journey. :) amie sue
This is beautiful and sounds delish. How important is lecithin. I can’t find it in a small quantity and it was expensive. Is there something I can substitute? Also, how long do you soak and then dehydrate the cashews and oatmeal for the crust? I’d like to make this over the weekend since cherries are at their peak. Thank you!
Good evening Judy,
You can omit the lecithin… just keep the cake good and chilled. Soak the cashews for 2-4 hours, then dehydrate them at 115 degrees for about 8 hours. (give or take) all depends on how full your machine is, the accuracy of it, the climate… etc. Keep me posted if you give it a try. Have a wonderful evening, amie sue
I have made this 3 times now and shared with various people I know-needless to say its a huge hit
I purchased a stoner this year so I have just been having a really good time with the cherries
the last 1 I did I changed a bit (I was having a little chocolate withdrawel LOL)
so I made your gnache and used that in along with the coulis-omg it was amazing i just staggered them
nothing goes with cherries like dark rich chocolate LOL
thanks again
oh ya and just FYI: the fruit cobler you posted this year also a hit I make that about every 4 days and we eat every morsel of it then look for more its awesome
leaving a post on that recipe later when I have more time
constance
I loved reading about this Constance, it really made my day knowing that you are all enjoying these recipes. :) You are making me hungry. hehe It is always such a pleasure to hear from you. Have a wonderful day, amie sue
Made this cherry cheesecake and it is delicious !! thank you so much for all your great recipes :)
Good morning Grace,
I really appreciate that you shared this with me. It is always nice to hear from those who visit and/or try the recipes. Have a wonderful day, amie sue
Hi Amie, I really really really want to make your cheesecake recipes but I’m from Australia and 1 cup= 250ml. Would this make a big difference as US measuring cups are 240ml? What you happen to know how many grams 3 cups of cashews would be? PS: I bought all of the ingredients yesterday so I’m ready to go, so excited! X
Hello Caitlin,
I will try to weigh out some cashews tomorrow in grams for you. I am about to head to bed now. I will see what I can find to help with conversions. I have a full day tomorrow so it might not be till later in the day. Sorry for making you wait. Heading to be right now… sweet dreams, amie sue
Caitlin,
Ok I think I have this right, You should be able to use your Australian cups one for one as there is only 4% difference one to the other. So you should just end up with a cake that is 4% larger. Overall it should be fine perhaps you will need a slight increase in the spices but just a little. :)
Thank you for your reply. I made it and it taste absolutely delicious! Even made another recipe the day after and today! My freezer is looking good! Haha love your recipes!! Please write a raw cheesecake book! :)
Thank you Caitlin :) So happy to hear that you enjoyed it! Why write a cookbook when you get all my recipes here…free!? hehe Have a blessed weekend, amie sue
This looks awesome and I would like to make it for a dinner party I am going to this weekend. I have a Nesco Dehydrator so I can do the cashews and oats; however, I cannot do dehydrate the cherry layer. Is that something I can skip? My oven only goes down as far as 170 degrees.
Good morning Chris,
You can skip dehydrating the cherry layer. If you do, create the crust and press it in. Create the cherry layer and add in. Then freeze it before you add the cheesecake filling. The dehydrating of the cherry layer helps to firm it up. If you were to pour the cheesecake layer straight away on top, it wouldn’t create a nice layered line of components. That’s not a bad thing… it would still be pretty and taste the same, just different from what mine looks like. :) Enjoy and keep me posted. Blessings, amie sue
Just posted a pic of the finished product on Facebook. It looks beautiful and tastes amazing!! Thank you
Good morning Chris… I went and checked FB but there isn’t a picture. So happy that you enjoyed and I really appreciate that you came to share this with me. I know that tons of people try the recipes but rarely comment… so sad. lol Anyway, have a blessed weekend, amie sue
Love this site. Thank you for sharing these delicious recipes. I do have a question, how do you keep the filling in this recipe so white? Mine does not stay as white as yours.
Hello Missy.
So happy that you enjoying my site. :) Welcome.
How to do I keep my filling so white? I guess I will answer that with a few questions myself. Are you using raw cashews? Roasted ones will be darker. How long did you soak them? I find that is they soak for an extended period of time, they can sometimes appear more yellowish. What type of sweetener did you use? I used a raw agave that is light in color. If you use maple syrup or another darker liquid sweetener, it will change the filling coloring. What type of lecithin did you use? If its a dark liquid color that can maybe cause a tinge of color change.
So there are some ideas for you to think through. I hope it was helpful. Blessings, amie sue