Vegan Cheesecake with Raspberry Topping

For years, I've squirmed in my seat whenever someone asks whether I have a healthy vegan cheesecake recipe.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: most vegan cheesecakes use cheese substitutes made from hydrogenated fat or nuts, with lots of fat and relatively little protein and calcium.

And the cakes? They look like cheesecake. They taste like cheesecake. But nutritionally, they don't have much in common with cheese. (Sorry. That's the truth.)

So what do we do?

First, let's be grateful it's 2018. You have no idea what being vegan was like back in 2001.

Why?

Because this year alone, a whole range of excellent soy-based products hit the market. They offer a good amount of protein and calcium, with little fat and carbohydrate, and they make life so much easier.

Browsing the supermarket's refrigerated cheese section is actually a pleasure now.

Okay, now that I've finished doing my happy dance at the supermarket, let's make some vegan cheesecake.

A few recipe tips and notes: 

I use a vegan alternative to gelatin called agar-agar. It's made from seaweed, and you can find it at health food stores and in natural foods sections.

It's easy to work with and a great way to get liquids to set.

I've tried to keep the oil and sugar to a minimum here. I want it to taste like cake without sending us into a guilt spiral. Not sweet enough for you? Add more sugar, but that will push the calorie count up significantly – and personally, I don't think it needs any.

Here's another little shortcut for measuring sugar accurately: use vanilla sugar sold in 10 g (0.35 oz) packets. No kitchen scale needed. Not bad, right?

As for the raspberry topping, feel free to use any fruit you love. Strawberries, apricots, and even prickly pears would be great here.

The crust is made with whole wheat flour. Mild-flavored gluten-free flours like teff or coconut flour can work here, too. I'd skip chickpea or lentil flour because their flavors are too strong.

Nutrition: 

You can cut this cheesecake into 8 generous, rich slices.

Each slice contains 337 calories, 10 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, and 17 g fat, including 1.5 g saturated fat.

Noam Bachar (an Israeli clinical nutritionist and fitness coach), who also calculated the nutrition information for this recipe, adds: "Cut the cheesecake into 16 slices. You'll still get a lovely, rich slice, with just half the calories and fat."

Made this cheesecake? Tell me how it turned out in the comments below.

Vegan Cheesecake

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 39 minutes

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1.5 cups whole wheat flour Teff flour or coconut flour can also be used
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil Or another vegetable oil you like
• 1/2 cup sugar Or your favorite sweetener
• pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Filling

• 1 cup unsweetened soy milk Almond milk or another plant-based milk you like works, too 🙂
• 250 g (8.8 oz) plain soy cheese from Tnuva (a major Israeli dairy and soy brand)
• 250 g (8.8 oz) soy cream from Alpro (a European plant-based food brand) 5% fat
• 340 g (12 oz) silken tofu The one in the red package
• 50 g (1.8 oz) vanilla sugar 5 packets, 10 g (0.35 oz) each
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 3 tablespoons canola oil Or another vegetable oil
• 3 teaspoons agar-agar Powder

For the Raspberry Topping

• 1 teaspoon agar-agar Powder
• Juice of half a lemon
• 30 g (1.1 oz) vanilla sugar 3 packets, 10 g (0.35 oz) each
• 1 cup raspberries Frozen works, too

Instructions

1. Start with the crust.
2. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
3. Combine all the crust ingredients in a bowl and mix until you have an evenly mixed, oily dough.
4. Use your hands to break the dough into evenly sized crumbs.
5. Grease a 26 cm (about 10-inch) springform pan. Add the crumbs and press them firmly across the bottom and a little way up the sides.
   
6. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the crust is firm. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
7. Make the filling.
8. In a food processor, blend all the filling ingredients except the lemon zest, oil, and agar-agar until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a saucepan.
9. Add 4 tablespoons of agar-agar and the oil, mix well, and bring to a boil.
10. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and mix well.
11. Make the raspberry topping.
12. Combine the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and agar-agar flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
    
13. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.
14. Assemble the cheesecake.
15. Pour the filling over the crust.
16. Pour the raspberry topping into the center of the cheesecake, then drizzle a little of the sauce around the edges for decoration.
    
17. Gently tap the pan on the counter to release any air bubbles.
18. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
19. This cheesecake is best served straight from the refrigerator.
20. One more photo and I'll stop. Promise.