Vegan Black and Blue Berry Cheesecake Pie

Cheesecake anything always gets me going.  From the time I was little I would always choose cheesecake over any other dessert hands down.  There is just something crave worthy about the texture and flavor of it.  For a while when I was in college I would buy a piece of cheesecake from the local co op every weekend and really look forward to it.  They probably thought I was weird too when I asked for the biggest piece every time.  I then learned to make my own, and it was something I made often.  When I went vegan, I discovered I could make cheesecakes just as delicious (if not more, because dairy and eggs really gross me out now) as their conventional cousins.  And, I have made loads of vegan cheesecakes.  I don't think I could ever tire of them.

So, last weekend, I thought cheesecake and pie both sounded good and I decided on a cheesecake pie.  I wanted it to have plenty of fruit in it, because fruit pies are my favorite, and I wanted it to be sort of like a cheesecake cream pie.  I had lots of blackberries and blueberries I had rescued from the discard pile as being too ugly to sell, and I knew they would be delicious in my pie, because glamorous berries don't matter when they are buried in cheesecake.  For the filling I used a coconut cashew base, which is my favorite for texture and flavor in vegan cheesecakes, and it turned out perfect once the flavorful ripe berries were added.  I topped it all off with a whipped coconut cream in cream pie fashion.  It was lovely.

It tasted amazing as well. The crust crunchy, slightly salty and sweet, the filling melt in your mouth rich, sweet with berries and creamy, and the topping almost cloudlike.  You could not tell it was vegan at all, and it was way better than any cream pies or cheesecakes I had eaten growing up.  It was decadent as all get out.  It was a good weekend and I wanted the dessert to reflect that.  Eric and I had visited a local winery for a wine tasting and bought some berry wine, so we enjoyed it with that after dinner Sunday.  It was the perfect end to a really great day.

Vegan Black and Blue Berry Cheesecake Pie
Makes one 8 inch pie

1 8 inch pie plate

Crust:
3/4 cup finely shredded dried coconut
3/4 cup sprouted, dehydrated buckwheat groats, or raw walnuts
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup soft pitted medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them 30 minutes and drain well before using)
1/4 tsp sea salt

Filling:
1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled
1/2 cup pitted soft medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them 30 minutes and drain well before using)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours and drained
3/4 cup coconut butter warmed to liquid
1 1/2 cup mixed fresh organic blackberries and blueberries, divided

Topping:
1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, chilled
1/4 cup pitted, soft medjool dates (if they are not soft, soak them 30 minutes and drain well before using)
pinch sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut butter, warmed to liquid

For the crust, combine all ingredients in the food processor until finely chopped and starting to hold together when squeezed (if it doesn't you may need a few more dates).  Press the mixture into a 8 inch pie pan or spring form pan greased with coconut oil.
For the filling, combine all ingredients but the berries in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Add 3/4 cup of the berries and blend until smooth. Stir in the remaining berries and pour into the crust. Place in the freezer to firm up (about 2 hours).
Meanwhile, for the cream topping, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until it is thick like whipped cream (whisking every so often), about 45 minutes.  Once the cream is ready, spread over the top of the pie.  Pie keeps refrigerated for 1 week in a container.