No-Bake Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake

No-Bake Vegan Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

7 or 8 whole graham crackers
4 Tbsp. Earth Balance, melted
2 1/2 Tbsp. Artisana Cacao Bliss
    Organic, Vegan, Raw Chocolate Coconut Butter
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
Pinch of salt

Strawberry topping

1 pound of fresh strawberries, washed and stemmed **
1/4 cup of sugar
1 Tbsp. guar gum

Cheesecake

1 pound Toffutti - Better Than Cream Cheese
1/2 cup of confectioners sugar
1 tsp. white vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups strawberry topping
    (reserved from topping mix) **
1/2 block of Silken firm tofu and enough Silk Creamer
    to equal 1/2 cup
Fresh Strawberries for garnish **

How we make it

Prepare the crust:
Add the graham crackers to a food processor and grind them to a fine powder. Add the Earth Balance, Cacao Bliss, brown sugar, salt and cocoa powder and process until it is well incorporated.

Press the crust evenly into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Spread evenly allowing the crust to come up the sides slightly.

Prepare the Strawberry topping:
Add the strawberries, sugar and about 1/4 cup of water to a deep saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the strawberries soften. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the strawberries. If using a regular blender, transfer the pureed strawberries back to the saucepan to finish cooking afterward.

Use a wide bowl and sprinkle the guar gum over two or three Tbsp. of cold water. Allow it to sit for about two minutes.

Transfer the guar gum to the strawberry mixture and cook slowly over low heat. Use a wire whisk to stir the mixture until the guar gum is incorporated. Remove from heat and reserve 1 1/4 cup for the top layer of the cake.

Prepare the cheesecake:
Use a hand mixer and large bowl to beat the cream cheese and sugar until it is smooth. Add the vanilla extract and the strawberry topping (not the reserved) and beat to mix.

In a separate bowl add the Silken tofu and a little Silk Creamer and beat to mix well. Continue to beat adding creamer until you have about 1/2 cup, mixed very well.

Add the creamed tofu to the strawberry mixture and fold into the mixture until it is well combined.

Pour the cheesecake into the spring form pan. Place it in the refrigerator uncovered and allow it to set to the touch (about two hours).

Once the cheesecake is set pour the reserved 1 1/4 cup of topping on the top. You may need to heat it up first if it has begun to set already. Spread it across the top. Place it back in the refrigerator, uncovered for another 30 to 50 minutes, allowing the remaining topping to set again.

You can serve the cheesecake immediately after topping it with sliced, fresh strawberries or it can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours more.

To serve, run a butter knife around the edge of the spring form pan before unlocking it.

** Indicates that you are reserving the 1 1/4 cups of topping and a few fresh strawberries.

Serves 8 or more

Per serving (for 8): Calories 332, Calories from Fat 27, Total Fat 2.98g, Saturated Fat 0.53g, Trans Fat 0.0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 224mg, Potassium 117mg, Total Carbs 75.78g, Dietary Fiber 1.4g, Sugars 40.17g, Protein 2.46g