Makes one 9" cake, or several small cakes. This cake is rich so it can go a long way! Store in the freezer as it will become to soft at room temperature to manage. It can be stored in the fridge, if desired, but will not keep as long.
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST:
¾ cup Pecans
¾ cup Walnuts
¼ cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (finely shredded works best)
pinch of Sea Salt
3 Medjool Dates, pits removed
2 tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder (sub cocoa powder if you don't have cacao)
1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
FOR THE GANACHE LAYER:
¾ cup Dark Chocolate Chips (use a brand that uses natural sweeteners, if you can)
¼ cup Coconut Oil
¾ cup Coconut Milk (canned)
3 tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder
1 teaspoon Vanilla
FOR THE CHEESECAKE LAYER:
3 cups Cashews, soaked overnight
1½ cups Almond Milk (coconut milk works too)
2 tablespoons Vanilla (you may only need 1 tablespoon if your vanilla is strong)
½ cup + 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup, divided
¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
2 tablespoons Sunflower Lecithin
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
⅓ cup Coconut Butter (softened)
¼ cup Coconut Oil, divided
⅓ cup Raw Cacao Powder
Instructions
FOR THE CRUST:
Place the nuts and coconut in a food processor fitted with an 'S' blade. Process until the nuts become like a coarse meal. Add the salt, dates, cacao powder, and coconut oil and process until the mixture comes together to form a semi-coarse meal that sticks together when pressed.
Scrap the mixture into the bottom a greased 9" springform pan and press down into an even layer with your hands and then the back of a spoon, to smooth. Place in the freezer.
FOR THE GANACHE LAYER: Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a saucepan. Heat on medium and stir with a rubber spatula until the chocolate chips have melted and oil is mixed in. Remove from heat. Add the coconut milk, cacao powder, and vanilla and stir until smooth and well mixed. Pour the mixture over the frozen crust. Tap on the counter a few times to smooth out the top and place back in the freezer while you make the cheesecake filling,
FOR THE CHEESECAKE LAYER:
Place the soaked cashews in a blender (make sure you drain them first) along with the almond milk. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add ½ cup + 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, the salt, sunflower lethicin, lemon juice, coconut butter, and ½ of the coconut oil to the blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour ½ of the mixture into a bowl and set aside.
Add the cacao powder and the remaining ½ of the coconut oil to the blender, along with the remaining tablespoon of maple syrup.
Remove the pan from the freezer. Spoon the chocolate mixture and the vanilla mixture into the pan using a large scoop, alternating each scoop between mixtures (use a separate scoop for each mixture) so that there are large chocolate portions and vanilla portions spaced evenly in the pan. Use a butter knife or chopstick to swirl the mixture lightly together.
Place back in the freezer for 1 to 1½ hours until firm.
TO SERVE:
Remove from the freezer and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing. Keep frozen when not being served. This cheesecake can be well wrapped and stored in the freezer for several months.
Recipe by The Kitchen McCabe at https://www.thekitchenmccabe.com/2016/01/27/black-bottomed-chocolate-vanilla-swirl-cheesecake-dairy-free-gluten-free-vegan-refined-sugar-free/