Mini Elderberry Cashew Cheese Cakes

So I wanted to create a dessert this season that would be good for our bodies. The holidays are a sugar buffet, and I really love cheesecake. So I needed a creative way to serve up some dairy-free, gluten free, and refined sugar free dessert that would boost immune function instead of compromise it. THIS RECIPE KNOCKS IT OUT OF THE PARK! Most of the ingredients are raw, so there is an added nutritional benefit to that as well. And CALLING ALL VEGANS! this is for you too! I'm not forgetting about you in this space! This is a great dessert to bring to your family's christmas. You know that you have something for yourself and your children to enjoy if you are dealing with food sensitivities. Also, if you have any left over cashew cheesecake filling...it makes an excellent fruit dip! AND HEADS UP: You will need to soak the cashews overnight. Measure them out in a jar, and fill it up with water, leave on the counter, that's it!

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STEP 1

Crust Ingredients:

2 Cups Pecans

20 pitted dates

1 tsp Vanila

1/8 tsp salt

Crust Directions:

Throw into a food processor and pulse it until its resembles fine cornmeal.

STEP 2

Cheesecake Ingredients:

3 cups raw cashews (it will be 6 cups soaked, soak them overnight)

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp pink salt

3 tsp lemon juice

2/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut cream (not the liquid, just the cream top of the can)

1/4 cup Sambucol elderberry syrup

Cheesecake Directions:

You will need a good blender for this part of the recipe BECAUSE it is the key to getting it silky smooth. Strain the cashews from the water. Throw in the cashews, coconut cream, and pure maple syrup. Pulse until its mixed. Add vanilla, lemon juice, salt, and blend until its silky smooth. Lastly pulse in the elderberry syrup.

STEP 3

Line a muffin tin with muffin cups. Get a tablespoon or two of crust crumbs and press them into the bottom of the muffin cups. Now cashew cheesecake. Add a few tablespoons to each muffin cup until its two thirds full. I like to bang the pan on the counter a few times to get the cheesecake to settle and smooth into the muffin cups.

STEP 4

Cover in plastic wrap. Pop them into the freezer. While these start to set up, make the topping.

STEP 5

Elderberry Blueberry Topping Ingredients

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons Sambucol elderberry syrup

Elderberry Blueberry Topping Directions

In a small saucepan, add the blueberries and water to the pan and bring to a slow boil. Stir or whisk often. The blueberries will begin to reduce down, add the honey, and reduce heat to a simmer. When the consistency resembles a syrup...it is done! Turn the heat off and let it cool. Once it is cooled, add the elderberry syrup.

STEP 6

Pull the cashew cheesecakes from the freezer and top them each with a heaping tablespoon of the elderberry topping. Wrap the pan back up in plastic wrap, and freeze for 2-4 hours or overnight!

Options:

I have made this into an actual cheesecake, not mini muffin sized, and the only difference is that you need to make it into a springform pan and freeze it overnight. It needs that time to set up. The cake is easier to cut when its really cold!

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Thats all folks! Go make ya some!