Berry Chocolate Cheesecake Squares

These berry chocolate “cheesecake” squares are completely delicious and easy to make. They are free from all dairy and happen to be gluten and soy-free as well.

Ingredients

The crust: – 3/4 C of raw almonds – 3/4 C of raw walnuts – 1/2 C of pitted dates, chopped – 1 tbsp of agave or maple syrup – 1 tsp of sea salt – 1/2 tsp of cinnamon The filling: – 1 1/2 C of raw cashews, soaked overnight in water – 1/4 tsp of sea salt – 1/4 C of agave or maple syrup – 1 tbsp of lemon juice – 1 tsp of vanilla – 1/2 C of melted coconut oil – 1/2 C of berries of choice (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries; frozen are ok) The chocolate: – 3/4 C of chocolate chips – 1/8 C of almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

Begin by making the crust. In a food processor, process the walnuts, almonds, sea salt, and cinnamon until a fine crumb is achieved. Add the pitted, coarsely chopped dates and syrup and process again until it comes together and becomes sticky. If you pinch the mixture it should hold together.

Place parchment paper or plastic wrap into a 8'x 8' square baking dish, letting it hang over the sides a few inches so you can lift it out later. Press nut mixture firmly into the bottom in an even layer. Put it the freezer to chill.

Put chocolate chips in a small heat safe bowl. In a small saucepan heat non-dairy milk and pour over chocolate, stirring to melt. Will take 30 seconds to 1 minute. Set aside. In a blender, put all filling ingredients.

Blend 1-3 minutes until completely creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add a little water if needed to make it totally smooth.

Pour filling on top of nut mixture, and spread chocolate on top of that. Cover whole dish in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least one hour, but up to overnight. To serve, remove from freezer and lift the entire dessert out onto a cutting board. Remove parchment/plastic wrap from the bottom and cut into cubes.

FOR FULL RECIPE