Instructions

1. Begin by covering the raw cashews in hot water to enjoy a quick soak. Allow the cashews to sit in the water, uncovered, at room temperature for thirty minutes or so to soften. Soaking the cashews make them become creamier and digest more easily. After they've soaked, drain and set aside.
2. The next step is to create the crust by adding the pitted Medjool dates to a food processor and blend until they're in small pieces, or it until a ball begins to form. Remove and set them aside for a moment.
3. Next, place the walnuts and salt in the food processor and blend them into a semi-fine walnut meal.
4. Now, add the blended dates to the ground walnuts and blend or pulse until a loose dough forms. Your crust mixture should stick together when you squeeze it between your fingers. If the mixture is too crumbly, add another pitted date or two. If the crust is seeming too sticky, add a few more crushed walnuts. Once combined, set the date and walnut mixture aside to prepare your dishes.  In the notes below, we mention the option of making a crumble topping by setting aside a tiny portion of the crust mix for that purpose.
5. If you're using a springform pan as we did, be sure to line the pan with parchment paper. And if you are using ramekins or a muffin or cupcake pan for individual sized servings follow the following instructions. For the ramekins, cut the parchment paper into circles the size of the base of your ramekins. When using ramekins, you should also take the step of cutting out two long strips of parchment paper per ramekin. Lay them in an "X" shape at the base. Top the "X" with the circle shape. The reason for doing this is to create little tabs that make removing the cheesecakes from the ramekins easier once it's frozen and set. You can also opt to use cupcake liners in a muffin tin. You could also flatten out a cupcake liner to use to line the bottom of your ramekin rather than cutting little circles. But whatever pan you are using, be sure to line it with parchment paper so that you will be able to remove your cheesecakes for serving most efficiently.
6. Once the pans are ready, divide the crust evenly among the prepared ramekins, cupcake/muffin tin or springform pan, and press it down using your fingers. You can also use the bottom of a glass either dampened slightly or wrapped in parchment paper. You can also use the back of a slightly wet spoon, to press the crust down firmly. Be sure to allow some of it to come up the sides. And once the date and walnut base is in place, place it in the freezer to chill and become firm. Don't fuss too much over this process. It's tough to mess up this crust, and besides,  it's cool for this cheesecake to look a bit rustic and organic.
7. Now that the cashews are soft from soaking add the cashews to the blender along with the remaining ingredients (other than the toppings.) Mix until completely smooth and creamy or about two to three minutes or so. While you want the mixture to be very thick, you can add a touch more of the plant-based milk you are using if it has trouble blending due to its thickness. Once combined, taste and adjust the flavors as needed.
8. Divide the blended filling evenly among the prepared crust you've removed from the freezer. After filling the pans, you may need to tap the pan a few times to release any air bubbles that may have formed during the pouring. Loosely cover with parchment paper or another wrap and freeze for about four hours or so until firm. The size of your dish will determine how long your cheesecake will need to stay in the freezer, but generally, it will set fairly quickly. For example, we used a pan with a large circumference, so the cheesecake filling froze quickly since so much of the surface was exposed to the cold freezer at once.  A deeper filling with a smaller circumference might take a bit longer to freeze. In other words, a taller, deeper cake will likely take longer to freeze.
9. Once your cheesecake has set, slide a knife along the edge to loosen.  For the ramekins, gently remove by lifting the parchment tabs.  If they're ready, they should easily lift out. If you are using a springform pan, flip the latch and remove your cheesecake. If you've had them in the freezer for a while, be sure to thaw at room temperature for about ten to fifteen minutes before serving.
10. We suggest that you serve your delicious cheesecake with a dollop of aquafaba whipped cream and chopped nuts or pumpkin seeds.
11. To make the practically magical aquafaba whipped cream, drain and combine the liquid from a can of chickpeas with 1/8 to 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar (We like this gluten-free variety of cream of tartar.) and beat on a high setting using a sturdy stand mixer for about ten minutes or so. You can opt to flavor your whipped aquafaba with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and a drizzle of maple syrup or a sprinkle of pure maple sugar or another preferred sweetener.
12. Regarding the cheesecake, you may successfully store any leftovers in the freezer for up to two weeks though we think it tastes best when enjoyed within the first few days of freezing. If you have added any whipped cream topping to the cheesecake be sure to remove it before freezing.