Raw food chefs use cashews to make everything from “cheese” to “cheesecake”. Being somewhat of a skeptic with “imposter foods”, I stayed away until my friend and amazing chef, Alison Bailey Vercruysse, made a “strawberry cashew cream pie” for one of our sailing picnics with Captain Rick and Julie years ago on the SF Bay. I remember taking the first creamy spoonful and being blown away by how good it was.
For kitchen jobs like this I use a Vita-Mix and highly recommend it but you can use a food processor or regular blender, see note in the recipe.
Cocoa butter variation, with half honey half dates
A blurb from the past, October 2010: Original recipe developed by my friend, Alison Bailey Vercruysse. She demonstrated her Strawberry Cashew Cream Pie on the TV show, The View From the Bay back in June (2010). We both agree that the important point about this dessert is not that it can be classified “vegan”, but that it is possible to make a dessert without using white flour, white sugar and loads of dairy. Call them “strawberry creams” and even the kids will eat them.
Strawberry Cashew Creams
recipe adapted from original by Alison Bailey Vercruysse
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water to cover at least 4 hours or up to overnight
- 2 cups frozen strawberries preferably organic
- 4 medjool dates, pitted about 80 grams
- ¼ cup coconut oil about 52 grams
- juice from 1 lemon
- 2 - 6 tbsp water or unsweetened oat or almond milk, just enough to get the contents blended
- tiny pinch sea salt
Instructions
-
Drain the cashews and add them to the blender. Add strawberries, pitted dates, coconut oil, lemon juice, and a couple tablespoons of water then blend—if you have a Vita-Mix, use the tamper to get things going. If you don't have a Vita-Mix, process this recipe in two batches using a regular blender or use a food processor (which is great for crushing ice).
-
Pour the strawberry cashew cream into 6 individual glass or ceramic ramekins and freeze for an hour, then serve. Alternatively, you can pour the cream into a wax paper lined 8×4 inch glass pyrex loaf pan, freeze for 2-3 hours, until firm, then slice into portions to serve. Store unserved portions in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes / Tips
- Keeps well in the freezer for a few weeks. Transfer as many as you want to the refrigerator to defrost before enjoying.
- Try recipe with blueberries, mixed berries, or mango—they're all great!
- Variations:
- substitute melted cocoa butter (52 grams Navitas Organics) for the coconut oil
- dates or honey: aim for a total of 80 grams, for example two pitted dates and two tablespoons of honey, or four tablespoons of honey, or four dates
