Layered Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

And then, all dressed up

Intros and Inspirations

When I was an eater of cheese, I most certainly did not agree with it being included in the cake family.* So I do not have a long, loving history with this dish. However, back in Seattle as a new vegan I had the most beautiful piece of dessert awesomeness in the form of vegan Kahlua Cheesecake one day.

From then on, I was ready to embrace the flavor marriage. Though the recipe below is rather opposite something Paula ‘heart failure’ Dean would prescribe for your sweet teeth, and adapted from the Fat Free Vegan blog, it in fact is not fat free. Instead, we have a rich, sweet, tangy, and spicy cake wonderment that is sure to make people fall in love with you (all over again).

I decided to serve this at our 3^rd annual Vegan Thanksgiving Record Party.

Cake adapted/reprinted from the Fat Free Vegan Blog.

*Ditto for the chocolate-fruit combo.

History of Dish

As if I needed more encouragement to make this dish every week to celebrate things I make up, it turns out cheesecake is thought to originate in ancient Greece. Better yet, Pythagoras, a vegetarian, was rumored to have baked the first vegan version of this dish.** Unfortunately, it failed since the local Agora was out of Tofutti Cream Cheese.

Democracy and cheesecake follows.

** This was completely fabricated during sugar high experienced by blog poster.

Yield and Preheat

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

Ingredients

Gluten-Free Crust

This one is just from my head. I made it up since one of my guests is gluten free. It just occurred to me she might be soy-free as well. OOPS!

• One box of Lucy’s Cinnamon Thins (5.5 oz): Crush it in your blender/food processor, pour into bowl.
• 1 cup of oatmeal: Crush in your blender/food processor, pour into bowl.
• 1/8 cup Earth Balance butter, melted, pour into bowl

Mix all three above in the bowl.

Spread into your pie pan.

Like this, except spread your filling up the side of the pan.

1^st layer

Blend the following until silky smooth:

8 ounces (one tub) Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese

6 ounces (1/2 tub) Tofutti Sour Supreme

6 ounces (1/2 of package) firm silken tofu (or extra-firm)
1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Remove 1 ½ cups of the mixture and pour into your awaiting pie crust.

Double the fun.

2^nd layer

Into the awaiting blender, add the following, then blend until smooth:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons rum (optional)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Carefully pour on top of the first layer, spreading around by turning/rotating the pie pan.

Layers!

Baking

Bake until the center is almost set, about 60 minutes (or until you become impatient, about 10 minutes). Insert a toothpick into the center -- it should be firm. If not, give it more time.

This pie must cool. Chill for 3 hours at least in your fridge.

Conclusion

Thank you, Fat Free Vegan for creating this wonderful recipe. I'm not a fan of pumpkin, and this tastes a bit pumpkin pie-y to me. But I had to convince Rob to save the rest for our guests.

We at Fat Love Cafe added a little bit o' Soyatoo on top.

Cashew Crumble Cheesecake

Caramel-y Cashew Cake

Intros and Inspirations

If cashews could sit, they would sit in thrones. Due to their rounded shape, I'm thinking it's possible, except they wouldn't sit long due to their wide range of culinary applications. Cashew Technology struck again when I realized I could probably make cheesecake out of these. My originality was also struck (down) when a search revealed this has been tried (many times) by (several) others before me.

There are raw cashew cheesecake recipes, cooked, caramel, and many other varieties. The version I put forth to you today is cooked. Whether or not this reminds you of a cheesecake is irrelevant after tasting little triple C – the Tofutti Cream Cheese version is much closer to actual cheesecake – but this recipe has a cheesecake tang as well as a nice balance of taste and texture I think you'll enjoy.

Due to my enthusiastic cashewing these past weeks, I thought I should make sure there are no adverse side effects. Luckily, true to its royal cashewiness, we are delivered nothing but nutrients and heart benefits. In fact, cashews even reportedly have weight LOSS properties.

History of Dish

Once again, ladies and gentleman, I present to you...the Greeks! In summary, a form of cheesecake was served to the Olympian athletes, then spread further by the Romans.

Yield and Pre-heat

Makes one thin cake. Double the recipe to creat a tall version (thicker crust and taller cake). The thinner version has the advantage of feeling good about eating a lot less, even if you ate half of the cake. It's also good when you don't have enough cashews for a full cake, or a Springform pan.

Preparation alert: Soak the cashews overnight or at least 10 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheit.

Ingredients & Steps

The “Rob forgot to get me graham crackers” Crust

Ironically, when I just asked Rob if any improvements were needed before posting this recipe, he told me I could “experiment with the crust a bit more.” Try using a graham cracker crust, but if you liked a toasted almond flavor this crust is for you.

Blend in a food processor or blender:

• ¼ cup unsalted uncooked almonds
• ¼ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 Tablespoon coconut fat

Coconut fat! Also used to make whipping cream for the topping.

Scrape out into bowl then stir in:

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoon ground flax seed
• ½ cup oat flour

Spread resulting mixture into pie tin or glass pie dish.

Filling

Cook the following over medium-low heat for two minutes, stirring frequently:

• ¼ cup Earth Balance
• ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons coconut fat (use the solid part of coconut milk from Thai brand coconut milk cans, chilled)
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Add above ingredients to cleaned blender or food processor. To this, add:

• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup
  
• 1 cup of pre-soaked cashews (drained)

Blend until creamy.

Compiling and Baking

Two options:

1. Spread your filling into the crust. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. This will produce some brown crispiness atop your filling. If you do not want this, see option two. (I made option 2.)

2. Bake filling in separate dish for 10 minutes. Stir well, then spread into crust. Bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool. Chill in refrigerator overnight, or if you're inpatient, throw it in the freezer for 30 minutes, then eat.

Eating

If I had the ingredients, I would top this sucker with some homemade coconut whipped cream: http://www.everydaydish.tv/index.php?page=recipe&recipe=157

Optional:

Experiment and let me know if you find a different version to try. I will try adding a ½ up of creamy peanut butter to the filling next time then drizzling chocolate on top. And of course using graham cracker crust, if Rob buys the crackers.

Feel free to email me at hortamatic@gmail.com with pictures of your versions for posting.

Since this was my first ever attempt at cashew cheesecake, I will certainly post alternate versions of my own as well in the future.

Conclusion

A fourth “C” should be added to this recipe: Caramel. Due to the mingling of Earth Balance and sugar, there is a slight caramel-y overtone. The walnuts and almonds give the crust a toasted flavor, similar to candied nuts.