Strawberry Cheesecake with a Ginger-nut Crust

Now I know what you're thinking. I made another cheesecake. I know. But since making the Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake, I've been dying to make a vanilla one. I haven't been able to bake for a while as I've been ill, so the day I started to feel better I knew exactly what I wanted to bake! And that, my friends, was cheesecake. Vegan cheesecake. I always thought that cheesecakes were really tricky to make, let alone to veganize! But this recipe is really simple and provides fantastic results! The hardest part is having the patience to leave it to set overnight!

A delicately spiced ginger-nut crust topped with a velvety smooth, creamy vanilla filling with a hint of lemon, finished with a sweet and fruity strawberry sauce. Heavenly.

Makes 1 9inch Cheesecake

Recipe adapted from here

For the base

1 1/2C ground ginger biscuits (I used ginger thins)

1/4C sugar

1/4C vegan margarine 

For the filling

3 tubs vegan cream cheese

1C silken tofu

1 1/2C sugar

1/4C cornstarch

Egg Substitute for 2 eggs

2Tbsp vanilla extract

Grated zest of 1 lemon

For the sauce

1 large punnet of strawberries

3/4C sugar

Preheat the oven to 350/175 and fill a baking tray with water, place it in the bottom of the oven.

In a small mixing bowl combine the crust ingredients and stir thoroughly until the mixture resembles wet sand. Grease your springform pan with margarine and press the base mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan, making the base as even as possible.

Bake the base for 5mins and then set aside to cool as you make the filling.

Using an electric mixer or a standalone mixer, beat the cream cheese and tofu on high speed until creamy. Add the sugar and cornstarch and beat again for 2mins. Add the egg substitute, vanilla and lemon zest and beat for another few minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and pour into the prepared crust.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 70-80mins, until the edges are set and the center still has a wiggle.

Leave to cool on a wire rack for 2 hours and then place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely set.

Before serving, make the sauce. Chop all of the strawberries in half. Pour one half into a blender (or use a hand blender) and purée. Add the sugar and blitz again until smooth. Mix the sauce into the remaining strawberry halves and set aside for 20mins. 

Your cheesecake will have a high crust, so you can pour the strawberry sauce in the middle without it going over the edges, carefully remove from the tin and serve.

Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.