It’s cheesecake time!
And not just any cheesecake- this vanilla bean cheesecake tart is made in a blender with cashews and coconut milk (so, not actually a cheesecake at all, since there’s no cream cheese in this recipe, but the word creamynutcake just didn’t sound all that appealing to me) and is poured into a tart pan for a thin, creamy layer of cheesecake goodness, perfect for piling high with tangy-sweet roasted rhubarb.
Oh, and that crust? It’s a little 4-ingredient number that’s made from almond flour and gets a quick bake in the oven to help keep it nice and crisp.
Rhubarb season is just barely here in Massachusetts, and I’m already on the daily hunt to get my hands on those beautiful pink stalks of spring goodness. Truthfully, I haven’t found a local supply of it yet (though I’m betting some of you already have it in your gardens), so I opted to snag some California grown rhubarb at Whole Foods for this recipe while I (not so)patiently await the local stuff.
I roasted the rhubarb up with maple syrup, ginger, and orange zest (a la this recipe from last year) and use it as the sticky-sweet, jammy, subtly tart topping for this creamy, sweet cheesecake.
Hopefully by the time you’re reading this I’ve visited every farmer’s market in the tri-state area (like, really) and have a glut of local rhubarb in my fridge, just waiting to be turned into pies, cobblers, and jam.
Also, hopefully, if you’re reading this and are one of the lucky ones in the Boston area to have an excess of rhubarb in your garden and want me to come lighten your load, you’ll hit me up. I would love nothing more than to find a neighbor who wants to trade rhubarb for baked goods, like I used to do back before I moved to the city.
Okay, let’s talk about this cheesecake.
First, you’ll need to roast your rhubarb.
While the rhubarb gets cozy in the oven, you’ll prepare the crust. Almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, and a pinch of salt get stirred in a bowl then pressed into a tart pan and join the rhubarb in the oven.
Then, the final step is to create that creamy vanilla bean cheesecake layer in your blender or food processor. And yes, there really is no cream cheese. The combination of cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, and lots of vanilla magically combine to for a thick, creamy, undeniably cheesecake-y flavor and texture. Trust me, it’s the way to go with this tart. No one will even suspect it’s not a ‘real’ cheesecake (though, don’t tell this dessert it’s not real- it gets very grumpy when faced with such a philosophical dilemma).
Technically speaking, we’re looking at a recipe that’s gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan-friendly, paleo-approved (maybe…I still haven’t quite wrapped my head around the whole eat-like-a-caveman-but-still-make-desserts concept), refined sugar free, and filled with heart-healthy fats from plenty of cashews, coconut, and almonds.
Also technically speaking, none of those labels are particularly important to me when it comes to determining if something is healthy or not.
So, what you need to know is this: yes, this cheesecake might be made with some weird ingredients (well, weird for a cheesecake. not weird in general) but it’s also creamy, tangy, perfectly sweet, absolutely beautiful, and downright delicious.
And, despite not actually having any cheese in it, I think this pretty little tart is still worthy of the name cheesecake.
So grab yourself some cashews and rhubarb, and let’s do this thing!
If you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture and share it with me on Instagram! I love seeing my recipes in your kitchen.
- 4-6 large rhubarb stalks (to yield about 4 cups, chopped)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- zest from 1 large lemon (you'll use the juice in the cheesecake)
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked and drained*
- juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod (optional)
- 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut rhubarb into 1-inch pieces and grate ginger on a microplane (or very very finely dice it with a knife). Add all roasted rhubarb ingredients into an ovenproof casserole dish and roast for 45 minutes. Do not stir while roasting, or the rhubarb may fall apart.
- 2. While rhubarb roasts, prepare the crust. Put all ingredients into a small bowl and stir to fully combine. Then, press into an 8-inch tart pan (a springform pan works, too), pushing the crust about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden.
- 3. While rhubarb roasts and crust bakes, prepare the filling. Put all cheesecake ingredients into a high powered blender (such as a Vitamix) or food processor and blend on high until completely smooth.
- 4. Let crust cool completely before pouring in the cheesecake filling. Transfer the tart pan to the freezer for 45 minutes or the fridge for 2-3 hours to allow the filling to completely firm up. In the meantime, the rhubarb should be completely cooked and cooled and can be added to the top of the cheesecake right before serving.
- 5. Store the cheesecake in the fridge for up to 1 week (though the crust begins to soften after about 3 days), and serve cold.
- *Soaking your cashews makes them much more soft, creamy, and easy to blend into a cheesecake-like filling. You can either soak them in cold water in a jar overnight at room temperature, or cover them in boiling water and let soak for about 30 minutes. If going the boiled water route, soak the cashews first, before you start the recipe, so they're ready for you when you go to make the filling.
- If rhubarb isn't in season where you live, or is hard to find, you can use apples, pears, peaches, cherries, or even frozen mixed berries in place of the rhubarb in this recipe. Depending on the sweetness of your fruit, use more or less maple syrup, to taste. Roasting time for berries or peaches should only be about 30 minutes.
SaveSave