Raw Samoa Cheesecake

I was never a girl scout, but I did love girl scout cookies when I was a kid.  The thin mints and tag alongs were good, but what I really loved were the samoas.  If you live in another country and do not know what I am talking about they are delicious little vanilla short bread cookies, topped off with coconut laced caramel and drizzled with chocolate.  

I thought about recreating a raw version, but a lot of other people have been doing that lately so I wanted to do something a little different.  A cheesecake...that sounded even better, as I am a cheesecake kind of girl over a cookie girl any day.  

 I made a crunchy vanilla nut crust, then topped it off with vanilla coconut cheesecake filling, then dark chocolate filling both layers swirled with caramel.  It had to be topped off with a layer of caramel and coconut as well, and drizzled it with chocolate as is traditional for the samoa. 

It was way better than a samoa cookie!  The creamy fillings along with the gooey caramel and crunchy coconut were heavenly!  If you love samoa cookies, you may just have to try making this one for yourself.

Raw Samoa Cheesecake
Makes one 6 inch cake

Crust:
1/2  cup raw macadamia nuts, soaked and dried

1/2 cup sprouted buckwheat, dried in the dehydrator (or macadamia nuts)

1/2 cup dried finely shredded coconut

1/8 teaspoon sea salt
10-12 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Filling:

1 1/2 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked overnight and drained)

1 1/2 cups young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if unavailable)

1/2 cup coconut water (or filtered water)

1/2 cup raw coconut nectar, raw agave nectar or raw honey

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)

1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup finely shredded coconut

Caramel:
15 medjool dates, pitted
3 Tbsp coconut butter
1/4 cup raw coconut nectar, raw agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4  cup water (or as needed)

1/4 cup finely shredded coconut

Raw Chocolate:
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup raw coconut oil
2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or agave nectar
a pinch of sea salt

Lightly coat a 6 inch spring form removable bottom pans with coconut oil. To prepare the crust, process macadamias, buckwheat and sea salt in a food processor until the nuts are fine crumbs, then add the dates and vanilla and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers (if not holding together, add more dates). Firmly press crust into the bottom of the prepared pan, and set aside.  

To make the filling, drain the cashews and combine them with coconut water, agave nectar, sea salt and vanilla in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. With the processor running, add the coconut oil, and process for a minute until blended.  Remove half the filling from the food processor and place in a bowl stir in 1/4 cup shredded coconut, and add the cacao powder to the remaining half in the processor.  Process until well blended and place in another bowl. Set aside while you prepare caramel.

To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth (adding more water by the Tbsp if too thick), then press through a fine meshed strainer to remove any date bits (optional, but makes for a smoother caramel).  Divide the caramel into 2 bowls, stirring 1/4 cup shredded coconut into one.

To assemble cheesecake, pour the vanilla coconut filling into the crust.  Drop half the caramel without the coconut onto the top of it in tspfuls, and swirl with a knife.  Pour the chocolate filling over and drop the remaining caramel without the coconut over in the same fashion you did with the rest of it.  Swirl with a knife.  Place the cheesecake in the freezer to firm up for about 4 hours.  Once it is firmed up, spread the caramel with the coconut over the top. 

To make the chocolate, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Drizzle over the cheesecake (it is easier if you put it in a plastic bag and cut the tip off to drizzle it). Place the cake in the freezer for about 5 minutes to harden the chocolate. Serve!