The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Baking - Donna Diegel [104]
Experimenting with other egg substitutes can yield varying results; however, some good replacements are available, such as Ener-G Egg Replacer, and Bob’s Red Mill All Natural Egg Replacer. I don’t recommend using the Flaxseed Egg Substitute (recipe in Chapter 2) in these cheesecake recipes because it adds graininess to the cheesecake as well as changes its color.
Up till now, we’ve used unbleached cane sugar in these vegan recipes. While this is the preferred product for most recipes in this book, it is darker than its cousin, white granulated sugar. For the sake of a beautiful cheesecake, you can use granulated vegan cane sugar. Look for it at the health food store. Be sure the package says it’s vegan and not processed with animal-based bone char. There are some good vegan sugar products available, you just have to hunt them down. The vegan cane sugar is nice and white, and suitable for the cheesecake recipes in this chapter.
BATTER UP!
The Chocolate Cheesecake doesn’t require any egglike product because the vegan chocolate holds it together.
Other than the Chocolate Cheesecake, which uses a 9-inch pie pan, springform pans are the preferred pans for making cheesecakes. Using the spring hinge, take the pan apart, line the bottom plate with aluminum foil, and reassemble the pan. Pull the excess foil up and around the pan to prevent any batter from leaking into the oven, and spray the sides and bottom with vegetable shortening spray.
When it comes to mixing, a heavy-duty stand mixer or handheld electric mixer can take on heavy cheesecake batter with ease, but be careful not to overmix. Too much air in the batter causes bubbles that can lead to cracks. Mix just until creamy and all lumps are gone.
Cheesecakes benefit from baking with a pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven. As the oven heats, the water in the pan evaporates and adds moisture to the oven.
Fluctuations in oven temperature can result in unsightly cracks, so resist the urge to open and close the oven door while baking. The cheesecake is generally done when the sides are set and a little puffy and the very center is slightly wiggly.
Cool the cheesecake slowly on a wire rack away from drafts and at an even temperature for 2 or 3 hours. Lay a piece of paper towel over the pan to hold in the moisture. Resist the urge to remove the cheesecake from the pan right away. Run a sharp knife around the sides, but leave the cheesecake in the pan. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, and run the knife around the pan once more before releasing the sides.
When all else fails, and you get a crack down the center of your cheesecake, there is still hope. Fresh fruit and pie fillings, frosting, glaze, cookie crumbs, and chocolate ganache can always cover a multitude of sins. Your guests will never know the difference!
To slice, dip a large, sharp knife into hot water, and dry it off. Slice the cheesecake by cutting through it all the way to the plate. Do not saw through the cheesecake. Rinse off the knife in hot water, dry it, and cut another slice. Repeat and enjoy!
Strawberry Cheesecake
This rich and creamy New York-style cheesecake with Graham Cracker Crust and strawberry topping is the ultimate dessert. The delicious “cream cheese” filling is made with soy cream cheese and tofu, with a fresh zesty lemon flavor. You won’t believe it’s not cheesecake.
Yield:
1 (9-inch) cheesecake
Prep time:
7 to 12 hours
Bake time:
65 to 75 minutes
Serving size:
1 slice
1 (9-in.) Graham Cracker Crust
(recipe in Chapter 13)
3 (8-oz.) pkgs. soy cream cheese
1 cup soft tofu
2½ cups vegan cane sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
Egg substitute for 2 large eggs
(Ener-G or Bob’s Red Mill works
best)
1 TB. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 qt. fresh hulled strawberries