Raw Orange Chocolate “Cheesecake”
What do you do when a blizzard cancels your raw food cooking class and you have cashews soaking for prep? Make a great raw recipe for cheesecake! I love the combination of orange and chocolate. A bag of beautiful, fragrant oranges was sitting on the counter. Time to have some fun. The texture came out beautiful, and the taste is divine. Another recipe that would be perfect for holiday entertaining. I used a little orange essential oil in this to really kick up the orange flavor. You might want to note that essential oils are not considered raw and you want to be sure you are using food grade oils for recipes. This is a really simple, quick yet impressive “cheesecake”.
Orange Chocolate Cheesecake
SERVES 12
Crust
- 1 cup almonds*
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 3 dates
- Combine all ingredients in the food processor. Process until ground fine. Mixture should hold together when pressed. If it doesn’t, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time until texture is achieved. Set aside 1/4 cup.
- Press remaining mixture into bottom of 6″ spring form pan. Place in refrigerator.
*I always pre-soak all my almonds and dry them as soon as I get them.
Filling
- 3 oranges (make sure you have very good oranges)
- 2/3 cup agave (or liquid sweetener of your choice)
- 2 1/2 cups cashews (soaked at least 3 hours)
- 3/4 cup coconut butter
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet orange essential oil (optional as it is not raw but still very healthy)
- Grate the zest off of all the oranges. You should have at least 3 tablespoons. Be careful to only get the orange part as the pith (the white) is bitter.
- Squeeze the juice out of all the oranges. You should have about 2/3 cup.
- Place cashews, agave, coconut butter, zest, essential oil, and agave and orange juice in the food processor and process until very smooth.
- Pour over crust, sprinkle extra crust on top and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Lucy wrote on July 12, 2010
I just made this and put it in the fridge! I stole a bit of the “Cheese” part of the cake to taste and I cannot wait for it to finish setting!
Do you know about how many calories this is? I just want to compare to regular cheesecake.
Susan wrote on July 12, 2010
Honestly, I don’t know. Raw desserts are calorie dense. But they are also nutrient dense…where your traditional cheesecake isn’t. Traditional cheesecake is full of ingredients that are dangerous to our health. Also, serving sizes are much smaller with raw…you will understand this when you eat it. It takes so much less to satisfy! 🙂
Kyle Weber wrote on July 3, 2010
This looks so delicious! I’d be willing to try this too!
Jodie Bonfrer wrote on June 19, 2010
Hi all I like to make a statement.
Going raw is a great way of living and I just love the great taste of it.
I often see comments on some ingredients like essential oil not being raw I think it’s taking it out of proportions in my humble opinion you can mix raw with some cooked food.
Some people poo poo vegan and raw food diet just for that reason taking it to serious.
Think we should relax more on it .
I’m on a raw diet myself but not in a extream way way
Judith wrote on June 17, 2010
I love this recipe! It´s so delicious and easy to make. Un-raw foodist like it too 😉 It´s really my favourite cake, I always loved the orange-chocolate-combination and I loooove to love it! 🙂
Susan, I love your site very much, your recipes are always an inspiration and so often so easy to make… tasting like heaven! You´re an inspiration and gorgeous.
Stacey wrote on June 13, 2010
OOPS! Saw all the references about coconut butter after I posted…Please ignore that questions.
Hello Susan,
I found your site based on a reference to this dessert and I had 2 questions:
1) With your * comment about the almonds does that mean you soaked them for 12 hrs or so, then dehydrated them again before using in this recipe? Or, are they soaked almonds or just plain raw almonds?
(removed question about coconut butter)
Thanks!
Stacey
Stacey wrote on June 13, 2010
Hello,
I found your site based on a reference to this dessert and I had 2 questions:
1) With your * comment about the almonds does that mean you soaked them for 12 hrs or so, then dehydrated them again before using in this recipe? Or, are they soaked almonds or just plain raw almonds?
2) What is the difference between Coconut oil in the jar that ‘s solid at room temp. and coconut butter?
Thanks!
Stacey
Susan wrote on June 13, 2010
Stacey: You can find information on coconut butter and coconut oil here: https://rawmazing.com/articles/raw-food-all-about-young-coconuts/
Personally, I soak my almonds to release the enzymes that we don’t want. After I soak, I dehydrate then store them in the refrigerator. In this recipe, I used those almonds dry.
tom wrote on April 29, 2010
if i were to make this on fri. or sat. do you think it would be ok till sunday?
Susan wrote on April 29, 2010
Tom, it will be fine. Saturday would be better. And make sure you cover it in the fridge.
Tom wrote on April 28, 2010
Think I could use bananas instead of oranges, if so how many?
Susan wrote on April 28, 2010
I have no idea, and no clue…that is a drastic change. You could experiment. You are trying to substitute bananas (solid) for oranges (liquid).