Strawberry Cheesecake
I just created this delicious vegan cheesecake recipe for my sister’s birthday using vegan cream cheese, vegan cream, some accidentally vegan biscuits and a lot of strawberries!
Ingredients
base
300g vegan biscuits (I used Arnotts Nice Biscuits)
200g vegan butter, melted
filling
700g vegan cream cheese, softened at room temperature
2/3 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp strawberry extract
250ml vegan whipping cream (my favourite is Flora Plant Cream or Nature’s Charm Coconut Whipping Cream)
1-2 punnets of strawberries, chopped
Method
For the crust, blitz vegan biscuits until fine, then add melted butter. Combine until the mixture holds together. Line the base of a cake tin with baking paper for easy removal and grease the sides of the tin. Press the biscuit and butter mixture evenly into the base of the tin. Place it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Consider using a food processor for firmer vegan cream cheese. Add sugar, vanilla, and strawberry extract, mixing until well combined. In a separate bowl, whip the vegan cream until mostly thickened, then fold it into the cream cheese mixture. Continue beating until the filling is thick, creamy, and thoroughly combined.
Pour half of the cream cheese filling onto the biscuit base in the cake tin, spreading it evenly. Layer chopped strawberries over the filling. Add the remaining half of the filling and spread evenly. Garnish the cheesecake with more strawberries on top. Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight to set.
The next day, gently slide a thin knife around the edges to detach the filling from the cake tin. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin. Slice and serve for a delightful vegan dessert experience.
Mixed Berry Galette
Much easier than baking a pie but it tastes the same! If you haven’t tried making a galette for dessert before this is your sign to try. Includes the recipe for my vegan sweet pastry.
Ingredients
Pastry
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil (hardened in fridge) or firm vegan butter, cut into small chunks
2-4 tbsp cold water
Filling
3 cups frozen or fresh mixed berries
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp lemon juice
Vegan egg wash
1/4 cup plant milk
1 tbsp maple syrup
Brown or raw sugar for topping
Method
For the pastry, place all ingredients except water into a food processor and blend until fine. Keep blending and add one tbsp of water at a time until mixture starts to clump together. You may not need all the water. Put mixture into a bowl and knead until dough forms. Wrap dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.
Mix berries, sugar, cornflour and lemon together in a bowl. Roll out the pastry to make a large circle. About 3-4mm thick. Transfer to a lined baking tray.
Pour the berry mix in the middle of the circle and leave about 5cm pastry clear around the edge. Fold the clear pastry edges over the berries (it's okay if the edges break a bit).
Mix together the milk and maple syrup then brush over the pastry thoroughly. Sprinkle sugar over the pastry then bake in the oven for 30 mins until golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack for 5 mins then slice and serve with some plant based ice cream!
Banoffee Pie
This is a favourite dessert among even my non-vegan family members. They are always going in for seconds.
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup oats
1 cup soaked pitted dates
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 tbsp any nut butter
Pinch sea salt
Filling
1 can Nature’s Charm vegan condensed milk
1 cup pitted dates
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp any nut butter
Pinch sea salt
Extras
3 bananas
Nature’s Charm coconut whipping cream
Chocolate shavings (optional)
Method
Blend crust ingredients together in a food processor. Press into a tart dish covering the entire thing evenly. Place in the fridge to set.
Blend filling ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour over the crust evenly.
Chop up some bananas and cover the filling with them. Top with some coconut whipping cream, some more bananas and some shaved chocolate. Place back in fridge for a couple of hours.
