Dairy-free Cheesecake
Dairy-free cheesecake seems like an oxymoron, but we’ve figured out the formula! This version is a perfectly light, yet creamy cheesecake that serves as a great canvas for any fruit or chocolate toppings your heart desires.
Servings: 12
Calories: 308kcal
Equipment
- 9-inch spring-form pan
- sheet pan
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 16 graham crackers (240g)
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter (melted; any vegan butter/margarine of choice or coconut oil, 85g)
For the filling:
- 20 ounces tofu cream cheese (such as Tofutti - 675g, 2 1/2 eight ounce packages)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (135g)
- 1/3 cup oat milk (or other plant-based milk, 80 ml)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (18g)
For the orange syrup and topping:
- 1/4 cup water (60 ml)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (35g)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- juice of 1 mandarin orange or clementine
- 1-2 mandarin oranges (supremed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices)
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the bottom in foil (you’re going to be putting the cheesecake in a water bath, and you don’t want the water to seep into the pan from the bottom).
- Break up the graham crackers into smaller pieces and put them in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until they’ve turned into crumbs. Add the melted butter and process again until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press evenly into the bottom of the springform pan, packing the crumbs down as tightly as you can.
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the tofu cream cheese and mix on low speed until light and creamy. Add the sugar and mix on low speed until smooth. Blend in the oat milk on low speed as well. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Then mix in the vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon, salt, and flour. Do not over-mix or allow too much air into the mixture.
- Pour the filling into your prepared crust. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles, and place it in a rimmed baking sheet filled with 1 cm of water.
- Transfer the entire apparatus to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 275F and bake for 50 minutes more. Do not open the oven door! After the baking time has elapsed, turn the heat off and let cool in the oven for 2 hours.
Make the glaze and fruit topping:
- Meanwhile, make the mandarin orange syrup. In a small saucepan, add the water and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Simmer for 3 minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in the juice of 1 mandarin orange, and pour it into the pot, stirring constantly. Strain through a fine-meshed strainer (to remove any large bits of pulp or seeds) and transfer back into the pot. Simmer until the syrup is bubbly, no longer foamy, and thickened. Remove the syrup from the heat, and allow to cool completely.
- When the cheesecake has cooled completely, brush the cooled syrup on top of the cake. Arrange the orange slices over the top, and brush liberally with more syrup.
Notes
Prep time includes 2 hours for the cheesecake to cool in the oven. This in-oven cooling time allows the cheesecake to cool gradually and prevents cracking.
Nutrition
Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 284IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg