Vegan Cheese Cake Recipe By The Natural Food Emporium

There are so many clever gourmet food makers at Perth Upmarket.  Our gourmet section is a food market on its own.

We are loving this Vegan Cheesecake recipe by Upmarket gourmet retailer The Natural Food Emporium.

Try it for yourself and let us know what you think.

Vegan Cheesecake Recipe

Makes 1 x 22cm round  Serves 12-14

Ingredients

Base 

240g / 1½ cups Seriously Great Granola

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

30g / 1½ tablespoons coconut oil, melted

Filling 

1 tablespoon ground chia seeds

45mls / 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon lemon juice*

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225g / 1½ cups raw cashews, soaked a few hours, drained

40ml / 2 tablespoons lemon juice*

120ml / ½ cup coconut cream

¼ teaspoon white vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

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115g / ¾ cup coconut sugar

90mls / ⅓ cup + 2 teaspoons hot water

115g / ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut cream/milk powder

30g / 1½ tablespoons coconut oil, melted

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¾ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (about 3 small or 2 large lemons)

45mls / 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon lemon juice*

Method

Line a 22cm springform pan with foil, bringing it up the side.

*The total amount of lemon juice needed is just over ½ cup – 130mls, so zest the lemons first then juice them all.

Mix the ground chia seeds with 45mls lemon juice, stirring well so no lumps form. Set aside.

Place  the drained cashews, 40mls lemon juice, coconut cream, vinegar and salt  in a high speed blender and blitz until really smooth.

It may be  necessary to scrape the mix from the sides a few times until there is no  trace of any cashew pieces.

It should have a creamy consistency. Using a  spatula, tip it into a bowl and remove as much as possible from the  blender.

Place the coconut sugar, hot water, coconut cream powder  and melted coconut oil in that order in the blender.

This too needs to  blend until smooth and the sugar has dissolved. It will be a thick sweet  paste. Again using a spatula, scrape it into a bowl. It’s okay to leave  no more than a tablespoon in the blender as long as you have 300g set  aside.

Place the Seriously Great Granola and cinnamon in the  blender and blitz til the mix is crumbly.

Add the melted coconut oil and  combine. It should have the texture of moist biscuit crumbs.

Tip into  the prepared springform pan and press down to create a solid even base.  Keep in the fridge until the filling is finished.

If you have  scraped out the blender well, there is no need to wash it before tipping  in the cashew cream, sweet paste, lemon juice, lemon zest and chia mix.

Blend until smooth, stopping and scraping the sides so everything is  incorporated.

Pour onto the granola crumb base, cover and  refrigerate overnight until firm.

When ready to serve, remove the side  of the tin and press on some extra Seriously Great Granola around the  side. It is delicious as is or can be dressed up with a few blueberries  and sweetened whipped coconut cream.

Keeps for a few days covered in the  fridge, if not devoured beforehand!

Check out The Natural Food Emporiums recipe for Seedy Morning Muesli Bars  or  you can visit their website to view their other scrumptious recipes www.thenaturalfoodemporium.com.au