Spiriteds, nothing says summer like blueberries and limes. At least for today anyway. Ever since I made No-Bake Vegan Key Lime Mini Cheesecakes last summer, I’ve been pondering my next vegan cheesecake move. It has arrived in the form of Vegan Blueberry Lime Mini Cheesecakes. My level of “can’t even” is illustrated by the number of these I’ve eaten in the last few days. The final tally is just shy of ridiculous. Lime and blueberries come together in a decadent whipped two-layer topping to create a delectable vegan cheesecake recipe. Your mouth will water at first bite.
At the same time I concocted these Vegan Blueberry Lime Mini Cheesecakes, I also rediscovered Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman on Amazon Prime. Life hasn’t been the same since. I’m “re-convinced” I, too, can cure anemia with vinegar, rusty nails, and a glass of water. That episode left quite an impression on me as a kid, and apparently the effect is long-lasting.
If 2016 was the year of The Rockford Files then 2017 is the year of Dr. Quinn. Whereas as I watched the former with The Gram when I was little, the latter I watched with Mom during my formative years. We poured over each episode like the loyal fans we were, ready to become frontier doctors at first call. After all, medical school is a mere four years, and Dr. Mike was on tv for six. We were two years to the good. #Overachievers
While I was ready to marry Sully at the drop of a hat, Mom lived in a state of perpetual uncertainty. Was she #TeamHanksHair or Team Sully? I think she was Team Sully all the way but, a little like a train wreck, couldn’t look away from #TeamHanksHair. However don’t tell anyone I told you. Although his hair game was ON LOCK, he wasn’t exactly a top-notch guy. Mom had a thing for guys with long hair. We had Kenny G. and Michael Bolton cassettes to prove it, and Andre Agassi was almost always on the tube. When he cut his hair, Mom was heartbroken.
As for Sully, we bit our nails every time he and Dr. Mike were on the screen, and we LOVED everything about Dorothy and Grace and Myra. The memories of watching the show are almost better than the episodes themselves, and that’s what flows while I work on recipes like this one.
If you’re worried about attempting to make a cheesecake, rest assured it can be done. Here are a few tricks to create out-of-this-world amazing Vegan Blueberry Lime Mini Cheesecakes:
- To prepare the crust, first add the liquid ingredients to the blender and then add the almonds in small amounts. This will help prevent the blades from clogging and the motor from burning out. Do the same when making the cashew cream mixture. Liquids first followed by cashews in small quantities. If necessary, stream extra coconut oil into the blender for either the crust or the cream if the blades get stuck or lag.
- After pouring the crust mixture into the muffin cavities, put the muffin tin in the freezer while you work on the cream mixture. This will allow just enough time for the crust to set before adding the cream.
- After blending the blueberry mixture, pour it in a glass jar and store it in the fridge for a few minutes to thicken. This will make it easier to pour on top of the lime layer without getting everything soggy or slurpy or drippy or whatever word you prefer. It’s just better this way and more manageable.
- And finally, after creating your mini cheesecakes, let them chill in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up before covering in Saran Wrap and transferring to the freezer. This prevents the plastic from sticking to the cheesecakes. I also add a layer of foil for extra measure. It’s not overkill if it’s on behalf of cheesecake.
You won’t regret making your own batch of Vegan Blueberry Lime Mini Cheesecakes. At least no more so than Sully regretted attending the opera or a lecture during his fated trip to Boston. Although, to be fair (spoiler alert!), all’s well that eventually ends well. Nope, these little cheesecakes are just the treat for summer. Now excuse me, I have a virtual train to Boston I must catch.
Vegan Blueberry Lime Mini Cheesecakes
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 45 mins
- Yield: 12 mini cheesecakes 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds, soaked for 2-3 hours (or overnight, if possible)
- 2 cups cashews, soaked for 2-3 hours (or overnight, if possible)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 5 large dates (I like Medjool), pitted and chopped
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, divided
- 1/2 cup agave nectar, divided
- 3/4 cup lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a high speed blender, combine 1/3 cup PLUS 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, dates, 1/4 cup agave nectar, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Gradually add almonds in small batches, using a tamper if necessary, and increase speed to medium as able. Once mixture resembles a batter, remove from bender and press into muffin tin cavities. Chill in freezer while working on the filling.
- To prepare the cheesecake filling, clean blender thoroughly and combine 2/3 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup agave nectar, 3/4 cup lime juice, and vanilla extract on low speed. Gradually add cashews a few at a time, increasing speed to medium as able, until mixture resembles a creamy texture.
- Divide cheesecake filling and scoop mixture onto each crust. Place back in the freezer to set. With the remaining half, add it to the blender along with the fresh blueberries and blend until smooth. Store blueberry mixture in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to chill and then scoop onto each mini cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes before covering with Saran Wrap and foil. This will prevent your cheesecake from sticking to the plastic or foil.
- Store in freezer and serve within one week.
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