Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes (Vegan)

Recipe from TasteMade
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 12 servings

Though these are very easy to make, they sure do look fancy and they taste delicious!  This is the dessert to make if it's so hot outside that the oven is unthinkable.  Of course, that's the time the berries are in season!  To gild the lily, make some Homemade Berry Sauce (only three ingredients and one of those is water) to swirl on the plate. 

Crust:
1 cup raw pecans
1 cup pitted dates, packed
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Filling:
1 ½ cups raw cashews
1 cup fresh blackberries (I used black raspberries.)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions:
Place the CASHEWS in a heat proof bowl and pour hot water over the to soak.  Allow them to soak for about 1 hour. 
Place a thin strip of parchment on the bottom of each of 12 standard size muffin cups. (*See photo below) These strips will help release the cheesecakes.)
Meanwhile, place the pecans in a food processor and process until they are fine.  (Do not over process or they’ll turn to nut butter.)  Pour the pecans into a bowl and set aside.  Add the dates to the food processor and process.  Then add the pecans back to the food processor along with the dates.  Sprinkle in the sea salt.  Process.  Scoop out the crust “dough” and put a bit in each of the muffin cups.  Press the “dough” well.  Set aside while you prepare the filling.
Drain the cashews.  Place them in a high speed blender.  Put the rest of the filling ingredients into the blender.  Blend on high until very smooth.  Pour the filling into each muffin cup.  Place the muffin pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours until set.**  Serve.

  

**Note:  The recipe on the website only gave the list of ingredients and a video.  I watched the video and so knew what to do.  However, I discovered that the cheesecakes wouldn't come out easily right out of the freezer, even with the little parchment strips.  So, I left them out to thaw about 10 minutes and then they came out with no problem.  If you don't eat them all at once, they will need to be stored in an airtight container in the freezer.