Easy Vegan No Bake Cheesecake Recipe from www.hantol.co.uk

When Robby asked me to make this recipe that he found on Facebook, I was skeptical. I have tried making vegan cheesecakes and I never found one that really wow'd me. And this one is no-bake! Since Robby doesn't ask for much, I had to give it a try.

There are not a lot of ingredients and nothing really jumped out as being something that would make this a winner other than the maple syrup. I was happily surprised at how it came out, truly delicious. The first time I tried it, I used the blueberries for the topping but the second time, I did half blueberries and half strawberries. So good!

The crust is simple. Three ingredients is all you need. Many brands of graham crackers are vegan so you shouldn't have a problem finding one. The filling is almost as simple, just 6 ingredients. I loved how easily it came together.

The one downside is that it doesn't get super firm so the slices are a little messy. The taste of this cheesecake definitely offsets the lack of firmness.

What you need before you start

You do not need much special equipment, but a strong blender makes a big difference. A high-speed blender creates the smoothest filling.

Ingredients for vegan no-bake cheesecake

This recipe makes one 9-inch cheesecake.

For the crust

• 1 1/2 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs (1 package of 8 crackers)

• 1/3 cup melted refined coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

  
  

For the filling

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked and drained

• 1 cup full-fat coconut cream

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

  
  

For the topping

• 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon corn starch plus 2 tablespoons water for slurry

How to make the crust

1. Crush the graham crackers

Add vegan graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. If you do not have a food processor, just crush them by hand in a bowl. The crumbs should look like coarse sand. A few tiny pieces are fine, but large chunks can make the crust crumbly.

2. Mix the crust

In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, melted coconut oil and maple syrup.

3. Press it firmly into the pan

Pour the crust mixture into the pie pan. Press it into the bottom and sides of the pan.

4. Chill the crust

Place the crust in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.

How to make the filling

1. Soak the cashews

Place raw cashews in a bowl and cover them with water. Soak for 4 to 6 hours, then drain and rinse. If you are short on time, use a quick soak. Cover the cashews with very hot water and let them sit for 30 to 45 minutes. Drain and rinse before blending.

2. Blend the filling

Add the soaked cashews, coconut cream, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt into a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides as needed.

This may take 1 to 3 minutes depending on your blender. The filling should look glossy and pourable, with no visible cashew bits.

3. Pour the filling over the crust

Remove the crust from the refrigerator. Pour the filling over the chilled crust and smooth the top with a spatula.

4. Chill until firm

Refrigerate for 4-6 hours.

How to make the topping

1. Cook blueberries

Cook the blueberries with the maple syrup and lemon until bubbling.

2. Add the slurry

Stir in the slurry made from the corn starch and water until thickened.

3. Chill Completely

Once chilled, spoon on the refrigerated cheesecake.

Make it once, then make it your own

This vegan no-bake cheesecake is creamy, tasty, and easy to prepare. The plant-based ingredients keep it dairy-free and egg-free while still giving you that smooth, rich dessert feeling. Once you've made it once, you can start to customize it to your tastes.

Enjoy!

Kelli