Raspberry Cheesecake Bar aka Kohuke (vegan)

Vegan raspberry cheesecake bar tastes like the regular creamy cheesecake or even better. Believe me when I say that cheesecake bars can be healthy and still delicious. It doesn’t need baking and takes less than 30 minutes to make. It’s vegan and gluten free.

Try it out and you won’t regret it. This will be one of your favorite cheesecake bar recipes.

PS! Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

What is a kohuke aka cheesecake bar?

A cheesecake bar is a delicious cold dessert or snack from the Soviet Union. The cheesecake bar‘s correct name in English is actually curd snack (“kohuke” in Estonian) because it’s made of curd. Curd is a dairy product made by coagulating curd with rennet or acid such as lemon juice or vinegar. More about making curd here.

Curd snack is popular in Baltic countries, Hungary, Romania, and Mongolia.

Is cheesecake bar healthy?

Regular curd snacks can’t be categorized under healthy snacks but this vegan cheesecake bar can be. Why? Because it doesn’t include processed sugar or dairy. The main ingredient is cashews which are a substitute for cream cheese. They are beneficial and healthy for you in moderate amounts.

Cashews are a good source of magnesium, manganese, and copper that are important for your bone and brain health, immunity, and energy production.

What does a vegan cheesecake bar taste like?

Vegan cheesecake bar tastes like a cold and fresh creamy cheesecake with raspberries. With crushed nuts, it can remind you of “Magnum” ice cream as well.

How to make a vegan cheesecake bar?

Making a vegan cheesecake bar is simple. You need to soak the cashews to prepare them for blending. Put them in the bowl with water the day before or at least 5 hours before. The next day blend all the cheesecake filling ingredients together. Pour it into the silicone form and put it in the freezer for about 1 hour or until set.

At the same time melt the chocolate. Take the cheesecake filling out of the freezer and cut it into long thin bars. Pour chocolate over each bar and place it back in the freezer or refrigerator. Take out of the freezer 10 minutes before serving.

How to get smooth and creamy cheesecake bars?

The secret to creaminess is soaking cashews and blending them until it looks like a mousse. If your blender isn’t powerful enough, it needs more liquid to achieve maximum creaminess. (And maybe shaking your blender at the same time as well. Yes, I do that..)

How do you know when cheesecake bars are done?

Making cheesecake bars includes 2 main steps. The first is to freeze the cheesecake filling so you could coat it with/in chocolate. The second is to coat it with chocolate and wait until the chocolate is solid.

Can you freeze cheesecake bars?

Vegan cheesecake bars have to be put in the freezer because it needs to set in cold.

You can store the cheesecake bars in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to store a cheesecake bar?

The best is to store cheesecake bars in the freezer to prevent melting. It lasts in there for up to 3 months. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days.

Ingredients

Cashews: The main ingredient that has to be soaked before blending into a cream.

Raspberries: Fresh and frozen raspberries both work.

Coconut milk: Makes it smooth and healthier. Used instead of heavy cream.

Maple Syrup: Use any sweetener you’d like such as agave syrup, brown sugar, or even dates work well. Try to avoid granulated sugar.

Lemon juice: Or/and add lemon zest as well.

Vanilla extract: Vanilla pod or powder works as well.

Dark chocolate: As the cheesecake filling is already sweet, I like to use at least 85% dark chocolate that contains less sugar. But any other chocolate such as milk chocolate or if you like it, extra sweet, white chocolate works as well.

Crushed nuts: Optional. If you want to make it extra. Crushed hazelnuts or almonds are a perfect addition inside melted chocolate. PS! Will remind you of “Magnum” ice cream bars.

Step by step Instructions

Step 1. Soak cashews for at least 5 hours. 

– Blend them with coconut milk into a smooth cream.

– Add raspberries, maple syrup, vanilla and lemon juice.

– Pour into a silicone form or a regular form filled with parchment paper.

– Put in the freezer to set at least 1 hour.

Step 2. Melt the chocolate and add in crushed nuts if using.

– Cut cheesecake mixture into thin bars and tip into chocolate or cover with chocolate (easier). Don’t let the bars stay out too long or they will melt (especially during summer).

Step 3. Place in a refrigerator or freezer until firm.

– Take it out of the freezer 10 minutes before serving.