Cheesecakes are beautiful and impressive desserts that can be made a day or two in advance and even keep well in the freezer. This dairy-free version of the diner-dessert classic is rich, creamy and sits atop a simple homemade cookie crust.
Makes one 10" cheesecake or six 4" cheesecakes*
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup almond meal
- ¾ cup white flour
- 1 t. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 t. salt
- 1/3 cup honey
- ¼ cup oil
- ¼ cup Egg Replacer powder
- ¼ cup plus 2 T. hot water
- 32 oz. soy cream cheese (4 8-oz. tubs), such as Tofutti
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 t. apple cider vinegar
Preparation:
1.Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly oil a 10” spring-form pan or, alternatively, six 4” spring-form pans.* Set aside.
2. Make the crust. In a small bowl, combine the almond meal, white flour, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, mix the oil and honey until well combined and add to the dry mixture until forming a slightly crumbly dough that just holds together.
3. Press dough into the bottom of prepared pan(s) and puncture in several places with a fork to prevent bubbles from rising. Bake for about 7 minutes, or until crust is a light golden brown. Set on a cooling rack to cool slightly.
4. Turn up oven to 400 F.
5. Make the filling. In a small bowl, combine the Egg Replacer powder with the hot water, stirring quickly with a spoon until mixture is consistent and slightly stiff. Set aside.
6. In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in the Egg Replacer mixture and beat on high speed for 2 minutes more. Add the vinegar and beat for 1 more minute on high speed.
7. Pour filling over crust, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Bake at 400 F for 5 minutes, then turn down oven to 275 F and bake for about 40 minutes more, or until top is lightly golden. Allow cheesecake to cool and then chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving. (Note: It is a good idea to open the oven door for about 3 minutes to let the heat out when turning down the oven. If the oven is too hot for too long, your cheesecake will puff up and then fall.)
*If preparing six 4" cheesecakes, bake at 375 F for about 25-30 minutes.
