This apple tart is three layers and looks like a lot of work, but it’s really not! The bottom layer is a nut date blend, followed by a cashew coconut raw filling, and then topped with fresh cinnamon sweetened honeycrisp apples. The tart is a great holiday cake that is ready in under an hour and is vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free.
To prepare this dish you will need to place a regular can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight so that the coconut milk separates into two parts. You will only want to use the white hardened part for the cheesecake section. You can use the leftover liquid in a curry. You will also need to soak your cashews overnight in a bowl. Cover them with water and leave in the refrigerator.
I have been loving no bake recipes because they are easy and fast so the only part of this tart that needs to be cooked is the base for just 10 minutes. To begin, start with the base and place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until it becomes a fine crumble. I recommend you soak your dates in warm water for 10 minutes prior to making the base so they soften! Then coat a 9’’ pie pan lightly with coconut oil and add the base. Use your hands to flatten the base along the whole pan so it is about ½’’ thick. You also want the base to go up the sides about ½’’. Place the pie pan in the oven and while it bakes, it’s the perfect time to make your cheesecake filling.
For the cheesecake filling, blend everything together in a food processor. Then add this mixture over the base once it comes out of the oven and has time to cool. Then place the tart in the freezer for 15 minutes to let it harden.
While the cheesecake filling is in the freezer, slice your apples. You can either use a mandoline, or do it by hand (which is what I did). First cut the apples in half, then cut the halves into quarters and remove the center core. Then cut the apples into ¼ inch thin slices.
To arrange the top into an apple rose, start at the edge of the pan (where the crust meets the pan) and layer apple slices 1/2 inch over each other. Continue making your way around the pan and then start the next row doing the same overlapping of the apples and continue until you get to the center. For the center pieces, you will need to cut them into smaller pieces to fit.
I recommend you use a sweeter apple variety for this recipe. I used honeycrisp and it was the perfect crunch and sweetness!
Place the tart in the fridge in either an airtight container or covering the pie dish with tin foil or Bee’s Wrap and enjoy it within 3 days.
Substitution Ideas:
- Pecans: you can use almonds instead
Apple Cheesecake Tart
Cooking & Baking Supplies
- Quiche Dish Baking Pan
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Base
- 3 dates
- 1 cup oats
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- sprinkle of salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 1/2 cups cashews (soaked overnight)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp coconut milk (the white hardened part on top)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Top
- 2 large apples, cut into slices
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Place a regular can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight so that the coconut milk separates. Cover the cashews with water and let them soak in the fridge overnight.
- In a small bowl, add 3 dates and warm water and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Coat a 9’’ pie pan lightly with coconut oil (liquid), including the sides.
- Place all of the base ingredients into a food processor and blend until it becomes a fine dough like mixture.
- Place the base into the pie pan and using your hands, spread out and flatten down to ½’’ thick. Make sure the mixture goes up ½’’ on the sides as well.
- Cook the tart base in the oven for 10 minutes.
- While the base cooks, add your cheesecake filling ingredients to the food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes until it becomes creamy.
- Remove your pie pan from the oven and let the base cool. Once cooled, add the cheesecake filling on top of the base and use a spatula to even it out. Place the pie pan into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to let the filling harden.
- While the filling hardens, cut your apples into slices. First cut your apple into half, then into quarters and cut out the core. Then slice these into 1/4’’ slices using a mandoline or by hand. Mix the cinnamon, maple syrup, and lemon in a bowl and then brush all of the slices with this. Let these sit until your cheesecake filling is ready.
- Remove the pan from the freezer and add the apples to the top. To make an apple rose, start on the outside where the filling meets the pan, working your way around the entire dish, overlapping apple slices by about ½”. Then start the next row doing the same overlapping of the apples and continue until you get to the center. For the center pieces, you will need to cut them into smaller pieces to fit.
- Sprinkle the top of the tart with cinnamon and either place in the fridge to enjoy later or ENJOY right away!
