Featured Mango Cheesecake

Ingredients

2 cups walnuts (can use pecans)

2 tbsp vegan "butter" like Earth Balance

2 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil

3 tbsp sugar

A pinch of salt

Instructions

In a food processor, process the nuts until they resemble crumbs. Add the "butter", oil, sugar and salt and process briefly until the mixture comes together.

Pat the crust into the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the crust for 10 minutes until it starts to brown and becomes quite firm. Set aside to cool completely. It will be soft to the touch when you pull it out of the oven but will firm up as it cools.

Ingredients & Instructions

In a large bowl, beat until just smooth:

16 ounces vegan "cream cheese" (I used Tofutti's Better-than-cream-cheese)

Scrape the sides of the bowl and the beaters. Add:

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp cardamom powder

Beat until everything's well-blended.

Whip in a food processor or blender 12 ounces of silken firm tofu (I used MoriNu) and 3 tsp of egg replacer powder (this is important because the mango puree is quite liquidy, and you need this to help it firm up).

Add the tofu to the cream cheese in three portions, beating well after each addition.

Add and mix until just mixed:

1 cup canned mango puree (I used the Kesar brand)

Pour the filling into the crust.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a loaf pan or any other pan filled with water in the oven.

Slide the springform pan on a baking sheet and place in the oven.

Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes.

Turn the heat down to 325 degrees and continue baking for another 30 minutes.

When the cheesecake is done, the sides will be set and puffy but the center will still jiggle when tapped.

Ingredients & Instructions

1 cup vegan sour cream (again, I used Tofutti)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Whip the ingredients together until just blended.

Pour on the cheesecake as soon as it comes out of the oven, and tilt the pan slightly to make sure it coats the top of the cake evenly.

Place the cheesecake back in the oven and bake another 15 minutes.

Remove the cheesecake to a rack and cool completely. Unmold by running a knife around the edge, and then release the springform top.

Chill the cheesecake thoroughly before serving.