Farming is our Heritage

Roasted Almond & Salted Caramel "Cheesecake"

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Start by gathering, preparing and measuring all of the ingredients. This will improve your dynamic in the kitchen.

BASE

Preheat your oven to 300ºF | 150ºC

Spread the almonds on a baking tray and roast for about 20 minutes ( or until they turn golden brown ).

Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely.

Add the almonds and pitted dates to your food processor/blender and process for about 30 seconds, until they turn into a sticky, fine meal.

Scoop out a 1/4 cup of this meal and set aside, for garnish.

Line an 8" | 20 cm square pan ( or a 9" | 23 cm round pan ) with parchment paper, pour in the mixture and press it down firmly.

SALTED DATE CARAMEL

Soak the medjoul dates in hot ( but not boiling ) water for 10 minutes.

Drain the dates and squeeze the excess liquid.

Add the dates along with the rest of the ingredients to your food processor and process for a few minutes, until the caramel is smooth and there are no chunks of dates left.

Pour the caramel over the "cheesecake" base and spread evenly with the help of a spatula.

Sprinkle the almond slices over the caramel layer and place the pan in the freezer for a few minutes, while you work on the cashew cream.

ALMOND CINNAMON CASHEW CREAM

Rinse and drain the soaked cashews.

Add them to the food processor/blender and process for a couple of minutes, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Process until the cashews turn into a smooth paste.

Add the rest of the ingredients and process at the highest speed for a few minutes until you get a rich, creamy mixture. Be patient and blend until the cashew cream is completely silky.

Remove the "cheesecake" pan from the freezer and pour the cream into the pan.

Gently shake the pan a little to even out the surface and remove any air bubbles that might be trapped in the cream.

Place the "cheesecake" in the freezer for at least 8 hours so it sets completely.

TO SERVE

Remove "cheesecake" from the freezer and slice immediately.

Allow the slices to thaw out for 20 minutes, sprinkle with some almond-date meal and a few almond slices and serve.

PS- The "cheesecake" will hold in the freezer for 6 weeks. You can slice it and freeze the slices separately. This way, you can have a slice of cake whenever you want!




Recipe Source: http://www.cocooncooks.com/blog-en/almond-caramel-cheesecake