Any time is a good time for a piece of cheesecake, and even better if it’s a super healthy vegan version of the old fave. We found this beauty in Freya Cox‘s wonderful new book, Simply Vegan Baking (Murdoch Books), and do believe it will have them raving at your next summer tea party. The book says it “takes the faff out of vegan cakes, cookies, breads and desserts.” Sure looks like it does. So get cracking on these easy vegan delights. Freya’s book would be a great Xmas addition to the kitchen library!
Generally, people make a cheesecake with a digestive biscuit base, but you can in fact use any biscuit you like. I think the chocolatey flavour of the Bourbon biscuits elevates this cheesecake. The gentle orange flavour throughout gives the silky-smooth filling a little something extra.
Serves 12
Ingredients
For the base:
100g (3½oz) vegan butter
200g (7oz) Bourbon biscuits (or other chocolate cream sandwich biscuits)
For the filling:
200g (7oz) vegan cream cheese
250ml (9fl oz) vegan double (heavy) cream
20g (¾oz) cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting the top
40g (1½oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar
100g (3½oz) vegan orange chocolate (I like the Rhythm 108 dark cocoa orange bar)
For the candied oranges:
200g (7oz) granulated sugar, plus 2 tbsp for sprinkling
1 orange, thinly sliced
Method
- Start with the base. Line a 20cm (8 inch) loose-based cake tin with a circle of baking parchment. Alternatively, if you don’t have a loose-based tin, you can place two strips of baking parchment overhanging the cake tin for easy release.
- Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave or in a saucepan over a low heat. Crush the biscuits to a fine crumb, either in the food processor or by putting them in a sandwich bag and bashing with a rolling pin, making sure there are no large lumps. Mix the melted butter with the crumbs until fully combined. Tip the mixture into the cake tin and press down until there is a flat, even layer of biscuit over the base. Place in the freezer whist you make the filling.
- Put the cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have one – or into a large mixing bowl if you are using an electric hand whisk – and whisk on medium–high speed until smooth and there are no lumps. Once smooth, pour in the cream and mix on low to start, then increase the speed and whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy but thick. Sift in the cocoa powder and icing sugar and mix until fully combined.
- Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave in short bursts or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, pour the chocolate into the cheesecake mixture and mix until a smooth and thick mixture is formed.
- Take the base out of the freezer, pour the cheesecake mixture over the base and smooth the top with a spatula. Place in the freezer for 3–4 hours to set, or alternatively overnight in the fridge.
Images and text from Simply Vegan Baking by Freya Cox, photography by Clare Winfield. Murdoch Books RRP $39.99.
