Something out of the ordinary can still be delicious. This cheesecake is creamy, sweet, tangy and has a hint of unexpected Bloody Mary flavors swirled into it. Just a touch of the Bloody Mary flavor will certainly make this a memorable cheesecake! By repeating the ingredients in the crust, filling & swirl, it keeps the recipe simple and just 8 easy ingredients (+ salt). Feel free to add in extra optional add-ins for personal taste.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Servings: 8slices
Ingredients
Crust
2cupsraw pecans224 g (Or do half pecans and half almonds-that combo tastes AMAZING)
2 1/2tablespoonspure maple syrup
Scant 1/4 teaspoon fine sea saltdo not omit!
Filling
2/3cupraw cashew butter
1/2cuppure maple syrup
1cup"lite" canned coconut milkshaken well first
1/4cupfresh lemon juice
1tablespoonvanilla
1/4teaspoonfine sea salt
Bloody Mary Swirl (Optional for those who dare. For a strong taste, you can always double and/or adjust ingredients)
1tablespoontomato pastenot sauce/juice
1tablespoonpure maple syrup
1teaspooncashew butter
1 1/2teaspoonslemon juice
1-3dashes of tobasco saucetotally depending on your preference, it gets hot quick so beware
Optional add-ins: pinch of celery saltblack pepper, horseradish, olive juice, vodka (I only did celery salt)
Optional: If you want a Bloody Mary to serve alongside, here is my virgin concoction: (Serves 2 tall glasses or 4 short)
2cupstomato juicenot sauce
2tablespoonslemon juice
few pinches of celery salt
3-5dashes of tobasco saucetotally adjust to preference
2-4teaspoonsolive juice from a jar of Spanish olives
Optional: extra salt & pepperhorseradish, vodka if desired
Garnish with celerylemon slices and olives
Instructions
You don't need to soak any nuts or need a high powered blender for this cheesecake! Add the pecans/nuts to a food processor and pulse/blend until it is in fine crumbs. Add the salt and pulse again. Add the syrup and pulse just until it forms large, sticky clumps. Lightly spray/grease an 8 inch spring form pan and press the crust mixture flat and even on the bottom and going halfway up the sides. Don't forget to press and smooth and indention around the edges. Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
Add all of the "filling" ingredients to a large bowl and whisk really well until completely smooth. Pour over the prepared crust. Place in the freezer for 1 hour only, just until it is starting to firm up. If you try to add the swirl before, it will just sink to the bottom.
Mix the "swirl" ingredients in a cup well with a fork. Drop spoonsfuls around the cheesecake and pull with a knife or toothpick, carefully, to create a slight swirl effect. Place in freezer until solid, 5-8 hours or overnight is best. Remove and let thaw about 15 minutes before slicing. Place back in the freezer right away after slicing, as it will start to soften as room temp. I garnished the edges of mine with celery curls.
Notes
*Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, raw option (by eliminating the Bloody Mary swirl), soy-free, tofu-free*Note You may be wondering why I use cashew butter instead of cashews. 2 reasons: Using cashews requires a little more water to blend them up and I wanted to avoid extra water, so the cheesecake would be really creamy. Also, several people don't have a blender or want to soak. I find cashew butter to be perfectly creamy, smoother and sweeter than just grinding cashews in with other ingredients. The flavor was smooth, sweet and not a lingering cashew flavor that tends to happen from raw vegan cheesecakes. I really loved the flavor!