Vegan Cheesecake Recipes (from the files)

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Bryanna's Easy Tofu-Cashew Cheezecake

 

The following recipe (and variations) is from my book " Soyfoods Cooking for a

Positive Menopause " . This is a small cheesecake for the simple reason that we

usually overeat the big, thick ones (you are supposed to eat a small slice of

those, but who ever does?). This tofu cheesecake is relatively low in fat, but

is creamy and rich, AND very easy and quick to make. We thought it the best tofu

cheesecake we'd ever tasted, and the fat-free graham cracker crust is excellent.

(You can use your own crust or the one in the recipe above, if you like.) The

recipe may be doubled for a deeper pan. In this case, bake for 50-60 minutes.

 

CRUMB CRUST:

3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs

3 T. light corn syrup or vegan marge

FILLING:

1 (12.3 oz. box) lite extra-firm SILKEN tofu

1/3 c. raw cashew pieces, ground finely in a mini-chopper or coffee/spice mill

6 T. light granulated unbleached or white beet sugar

juice of one large lemon (about 5 T.)

zest of half a large lemon, preferably organic, finely-grated

1 T. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

FRUIT PRESERVE TOPPING:

1/2 c. light (low-sugar or fruit-sweetened), chunky fruit preserves of choice

1/2 T. lemon juice

OPTIONAL TOFU SOUR CREME TOPPING:

1 C. Tofu Sour Creme (see recipe below)

1/2 T. light granulated unbleached or white beet sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the corn syrup and press onto the bottom and

sides of a lightly-oiled 8 " pie pan.

 

Place the filling ingredients (make sure that the cashews are ground as

directed) in a food processor or blender and blend until VERY smooth (be

patient). Pour into the crust. Bake 25-35 minutes, or until the filling is set

and slightly cracked around the edges. Cool on a rack, then refrigerate for

about four hours before serving.

 

For the Fruit Preserve Topping, melt the preserves with the lemon juice in a

small saucepan, then spread over the top of the cheesecake.

 

If you are using the optional Tofu Sour Creme Topping, Blend the ingredients in

a blender, food processor, or with a hand blender. Spread over the chilled

cheesecake before you add the fruit topping, or use instead of the fruit

topping.

 

LEMON CHEESECAKE: Use the following recipe for Lemon Creme as the topping.

 

1 (12.3 oz.) box (lite) extra-firm SILKEN tofu, crumbled

1/3 c. Grade A light maple syrup

3 T. fresh lemon juice

1 T. grated lemon zest (preferably organic)

 

Blend the ingredients well in a blender, until VERY smooth. Chill in a covered

container.

 

LEMON-GINGER CREME variation: Fold in 1/4 c. finely-minced crystallized ginger.

 

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE: Use vegan gingersnap crumbs instead of graham cracker crumbs

in the crust. Use 6 T. dark unbleached sugar or brown sugar PLUS 6 T. light

granulated unbleached or white beet sugar. Use only 1 1/2 T. lemon juice. Use 2

T. cornstarch. Add half of a 14 oz. can pumpkin (1 c. packed-- drain overnight

if homecooked) and 3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice. Omit lemon zest. Top with a

nondairy whipped topping of your choice Whipped Tofu Topping (below) instead of

the fruit and/or Tofu Sour Creme toppings.

 

ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE: Use vegan chocolate wafer cookie crumbs instead of graham

cracker crumbs in the crust. Use only 1 1/2 T. lemon juice and add 3 T. Kahlua.

Add 3/4 T. espresso powder. Omit lemon zest, and use 1/2 tsp. vanilla. If the

mixture doesn't seem sweet enough, you may want to add about 2 T. more sugar.

 

Top the cooled cheesecake with Chocolate-Soy Ganache (below) while the ganache

is still hot, and sprinkle with a few toasted almonds or hazelnuts. Chill for

several hours.

 

IRISH COFFEE CHEESECAKE: The same as the Espresso Cheesecake variation, but use

Irish whiskey instead of Kahlua. Omit the Chocolate-Soy Ganache topping, and use

Whipped Tofu Topping (below) instead.

 

AMARETTO CHEESECAKE: Use only 1 1/2 T. lemon juice and add 3 T. Amaretto

liqueur. Omit lemon zest and vanilla. Use 1/4 tsp. pure almond extract instead.

Use topping of 1 C. Tofu Sour Creme (belwo mixed with 1 T. granulated light

unbleached or white beet sugar, 1/4 tsp. vanilla, 1/2 T. Amaretto, and sprinkle

with 1/4 c. toasted almonds.

 

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE: Omit cornstarch and use 2 T. organic cocoa instead. Use

1/2 c. plus 1 T. unbleached or white beet sugar. Use only 1 1/2 T. lemon juice

and add 3 T. chocolate, coffee, almond, orange, or hazelnut liqueur. Omit lemon

zest and use 1/2 tsp. vanilla. (You may add 1 c. [6 oz.] organic semisweet, non-

dairy mini-chocolate chips or chopped organic semisweet, non-dairy chocolate to

the batter after blending, if you wish.) Use a Topping of 1 C. Tofu Sour Creme

(below ) mixed with 1 T. light granulated unbleached or white beet sugar, 1/2 T.

of appropriate liqueur, 1/4 tsp. vanilla. Sprinkle the top with non-dairy

semi-sweet chocolate shavings.

 

CHOCOLATE-MINT CHEESECAKE: This variation-- a great one for Christmas-- was

suggested by my good friend Holly Walker.

 

Use only 1 1/2 T. of lemon juice in the filling. Omit lemon zest. Use vegan

chocolate wafer cookie crumbs for the crust. Stir 1 c. (6 oz.) of organic

semi-sweet, dairy-free mini-chocolate chips (or organic dairy-free semisweet

chocolate, cut into small bits) into the blended filling before scraping it into

the crust. After baking and cooling the cheesecake, pour about 1/2 a recipe of

Chocolate-Soy Ganache (below), to which you have added 1/2 tsp. peppermint

extract, over the top of it, while the ganache is still warm. Spread evenly over

the top and chill for several hours.

 

Fresh Fruit Cheesecake: Top the original cheesecake, cooled and with or without

the Tofu Sour Creme Topping, with sliced fresh fruit of choice in a decorative,

overlapping design. Melt 1/4 c. of apple jelly with 1/2 T. lemon juice until

bubbly. Paint the fruit with the jelly, using a pastry brush. You can also use

red currant jelly on red fruits, or fruit-sweetened orange marmalade on orange

slices. Chill for several hours.