PLANT-BASED EASTER

PLANT-BASED EASTER

Easy Lemon Cheesecake

By Shisodelicious

My Mum used to make a frozen cheesecake that the whole family was crazy about, lemony and melty, coated in crushed digestive biscuits. This recipe uses soaked and soft blended cashew nuts instead of the strained yogurt of my mum’s, but keeps the family-friendly, quick to make digestive base. Decorate it with chocolate eggs, lemon peel and edible flowers (cherry blossoms are edible) as a centre piece for your seasonal spread. This cake is delicious either frozen or fridge chilled.

Makes 6-8 slices

Ingredients

  • Base Layer

    - 125g (10 pieces) digestive biscuits

    - 75g vegan butter, melted

    - big pinch sea salt

  • Cream 'Cheese' Layer

    - 225g (1 ½ cup) dry cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours*

    - juice of 2 lemons

    - peel of 1 lemon

    - 6 tbsp (90g) melted coconut oil

    - 6 tbsp maple or agave syrup, or more to taste

    - 3 tbsp plant milk

    - 1 good pinch seasalt

    *if you are in a rush, soak the cashews in boiling water for 2 hours

  • Optional Flavourings

    - 1/4 thumb grated fresh turmeric** (for colour and flavour)

    - 1/2 tsp white miso

    - Tiny pinch cayenne

    *or use a pinch dry turmeric powder

Method

Soak the cashews until soft and set aside.

Crush the biscuits finely in a big mixing bowl. Fine to leave some larger bits.

Gently melt the butter and add it to the crumbs with the salt and combine well.

Firmly press into the base of a cake tin (15-20cm diameter) lined with baking paper. Best if the layer is quite chunky, at least 1-2 cm.

Place in the fridge to set.

Add all of the cream cheese layer ingredients to a blender or food processor, reserving some of the plant milk and syrup in case the full amount is not needed.

Blend on high until very smooth and the consistency of very thick greek yogurt. Add more milk or syrup if needed. Remember that desserts taste less sweet when cold or frozen.

Spread the mass evenly onto the biscuit base.

Let the cake set in the freezer for about 3 hours.

Thaw the cake for an hour or more at room temperature before serving it. You can also serve it fridge chilled, not frozen.