New York-style baked strawberry vegan cheesecake
Words Henry Firth and Ian Theasby // @henrydavidfirth
@iantheasby
This cheesecake will whisk you away to a decadent holiday in New York! The idea of using tofu may seem a little strange, but trust us, you are going to love this all-plant cheesecake. Try experimenting with different fruit on top too – bananas, raspberries or blueberries would all taste incredible. It will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Serves 10-12
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Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
400g cashews
120g light digestive biscuits 120g ginger biscuits
100ml light olive oil a pinch of salt
300g dairy-free white chocolate 2 lemons
340g silken tofu 300g icing sugar 2 tbsp coconut oil
3 tsp vanilla extract 400g strawberries
50g golden caster sugar
TO SERVE
Rosemary sprigs
METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C and place baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven. Place a large pan of boiling water on a high heat.
Put the cashews in the pan of hot water and boil for 15 minutes until soft and rehydrated (alternatively, soak them overnight in cold water). Drain.
Put all the biscuits in the food processor and blitz to crumbs. Add the oil and a pinch of salt and pulse to mix. Tip into the lined cake tin and press firmly until well compacted and even.
Put in the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, until firm. Remove and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 110°C and put the tray back in.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate. Pour 3cm hot water into the small saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower to a simmer, put the heatproof bowl on top of the pan, ensuring the water doesn’t touch the bottom. Break the chocolate into the bowl and leave to melt (alternatively, melt in the microwave in 15-second bursts). Remove and leave to cool a little. Separate 2 tablespoons of the chocolate from the main batch.
Zest the lemons into the liquidiser then cut them in half and squeeze in the juice. Add the main batch of chocolate, the silken tofu, drained cashews, icing sugar, coconut oil and vanilla extract and blend until smooth.
Layer up your cheesecake. Lightly brush the biscuit base with the reserved 2 tablespoons of melted chocolate. Pour over the cheesecake mixture and shake gently to level it. Lightly run your finger over the surface to get rid of any bubbles.
Put the tin on the hot baking tray and bake for 80–90 minutes, until set but still slightly wobbly in the middle. Remove from the oven and run a thin spatula or knife around the edge to separate the cake from the tin, then leave it to cool to room temperature. Transfer the cheesecake to a plate. Refrigerate.
Hull the strawberries and halve or quarter them. Put them into the medium saucepan with the sugar. Put the pan over a medium heat and stir. Macerate for 2–3 minutes so the sugar melts and strawberries soften slightly. Set aside to cool then pile on to the cheesecake.
For more clever vegan recipes check out Bish Bash Bosh by Henry Firth & Ian Theasby (HQ Non Fiction, $39.99) available now