Cashew "cheesecakes" with Amaretto cherry sauce

If I am told that my death is imminent and I can plan my last meal, I'd probably choose a bacon avocado cheeseburger and fries or a deep dish pepperoni pizza. I'd want a fruity Pinot Noir to accompany this fancy fare. For dessert, it'd be a toss up between a rich chocolate layer cake a la mode or cheesecake. The obvious problem with cheesecake is that after one slice you feel seriously ill and disgusting (which wouldn't matter if I was about to die, would it?) - and that probably has a lot to do with the insane amount of calories, sugar, and saturated fat crammed in there. But if I were dying, or if it were a special occasion, say a Thursday evening, I'd totally go for cheesecake regardless of the pain it would cause me. My point is that I have no willpower whatsoever when it comes to dessert. But every once in a while, I dream of variations of my favorite foods that are nutritious, won't make me sick, and make me feel a little bit like a Santa Cruz hippy.

This recipe for cashew "cheesecake" is so so good. My guests agreed it was more like a mousse, than a dense cheesecake but nobody felt that was a bad thing. Many cashew-based cheesecakes suggest freezing them until about 20-30 minutes before serving, which would definitely firm up the cake if you were looking for a more traditional cheesecake proper for slicing. I chose to top them with a cherry sauce since cherries are just starting their season here. It really made the dessert, so give it a try. You'll do a little hippy happy dance for sure.

CASHEW CHEESECAKE
serves 6

Crust
1 cup raw almonds
3/4 cup pitted dates
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
pinch of cinnamon
1 Tbsp water, if needed

Filling
1 1/2 cups raw cashew nuts,soaked 
juice from one medium lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
Scant 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup (or half & half is what i used)
6 oz plain greek yogurt (I used nonfat but think low fat or whole fat would be even better)

Soak cashews in water for at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.

For crust, add first 4 ingredients to food processor and blend until nuts are finely chopped - it should be sticky but not crazy sticky. If its dry, add the water and blend. Place crust in the bottom of a springform pan or individual glass cups. Set aside.

For the filling, Add all the ingredients to VitaMix or food processor and blend until completely smooth. This can take a couple minutes. Pour on top of crust and smooth top. At this point, you can refrigerate the individual cups for a softer dessert, or freeze the cake for easier slicing.

Warm the cherry sauce just before serving atop cheesecake.

*The cheesecake can be made vegan/dairy free by omitting the yogurt. Just make sure to reduce the sweetener to taste if you do.

AMARETTO CHERRY SAUCE (can be made in advance and warmed up before serving)

2 cups pitted, stemmed cherries
2 Tbsp sugar (can add more if needed)
2 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup water
2-3 Tbsp Amaretto
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp lemon juice (optional)

In a medium saucepan, add cherries, sugar, water, butter, cornstarch and amaretto. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low, and continue at a simmer for about 2-3 minutes. Stir occasionally. You can add more water/booze if more sauce is desired or cornstarch or sugar. Just taste and adjust.

I added the lemon juice just before serving to give a little more punch.