Pistachio Cherry Choc Cheesecake

• Vegan Tofu-based cheesecake.
• Makes enough for 8-12 slices.
• Topped off with fudge-style chocolate icing!
• Decorate with fresh or freeze-dried fruit.

100% Wholemeal Plain Flour 1kg, Organic (Doves Farm)

225g Wholemeal Flour, sifted.

Coconut Blossom Nectar Syrup, Organic 350g (Biona)

1 Tbsp Coconut Syrup for the base, plus 175g for the filling.

Cuisine Coconut Oil 610ml, Organic & Odourless (Biona)

55g Deodorised Coconut Oil, unmelted.

Organic Soft & Silken Tofu 300g (Clearspring)

300g-350g/1 carton Firm Silken Tofu

Unsalted Pistachios (1kg) - Sussex WholeFoods

250g Pistachio Kernels, plus an extra 30g-50g for garnishing.

Coconut Original Drink + Calcium, 1 Litre (KoKo)

300ml Coconut Milk

Organic Potato Flour, Gluten-Free (1kg) - Sussex Wholefoods

2 Tbsp Potato Flour

Pure Vanilla Powder, Organic 50g (Sussex Wholefoods)

1 tsp Vanilla Powder

Lemon Juice 250ml (Sunita)

80ml Lemon Juice

Profusion Himalayan Rose Pink Salt - fine 500g

2 pinches of salt, one for the filling and one for the topping.

Freeze Dried Sliced Cherry 100g (Healthy Supplies)

20g Freeze-Dried Cherries

Freeze Dried Cherry Powder 100g Healthy Supplies

5-10g Freeze-Dried Cherry Powder

Cacao Butter Buttons, Organic 500g (Sussex Wholefoods)

55g Cacao Butter Buttons

Coconut Bliss, Organic 400g (Biona)

40g Coconut Cream

Cacao Liquor Buttons, Organic 500g (Sussex Wholefoods)

50g Cacao Liquor Buttons

Organic Medjool Dates (500g) - Sussex WholeFoods

120g Medjool Dates, stones removed

Sunflower Seeds 1kg (Healthy Supplies)

2-3 Tbsp Sunflower Seeds

Other Ingredients

• Zest of 1 Lemon.

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°c Fan/200°c/Gas Mark 6.
2. In a medium bowl mix the flour, coconut blossom nectar and coconut oil until you have a dough. If the mixture is hard to come together use a little water to bring it together into a dough. Press the dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of a loose-based flan or cake tin (diameter 20cm). Set to one side.
3. In a food processor or blender, combine all the cheesecake ingredients (apart from coconut milk) and process until smooth. Add the coconut milk and process for another 30 seconds.
4. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 180°c. Then reduce the temperature to 120°c and bake for further 45 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and firm for around 2 hours.
6. To make the chocolate ‘icing’ first grind the sunflower seeds in a coffee grinder or small blender. If your blender cannot cope with a small amount then blend them with the Medjool Dates and the Coconut Cream. Set these to one side.
7. Melt the Cacao Butter Buttons and Cacao Liquor Buttons in a heat-proof bowl set inside a saucepan of boiling water. You do not need to heat on the hob. Ensure no water comes into contact with the melting mixture.
8. As the buttons melt stir in the the date, sunflower and coconut cream paste. Add a pinch of salt.
9. Using a palette knife or large spreading knife cover the top of the cheesecake. The mixture should have the consistency of butter-cream icing.
10. Decorate the top with crumbled pieces of Freeze-Dried Cherry and dust with Cherry powder. Finally, roughly crush the 30-50g of the Pistachio Kernels and sprinkle in a circle in the middle.
11. Serve a slice on its own or with a vanilla-based sauce, eg. Dairy-free Yoghurt, Custard or Ice-cream.