Dairy-free Cheesecake

Method10 steps · about 4 hr 10 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (about 177°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with the additional vegan butter, and wrap the bottom securely in foil to keep the external water bath from seeping in.

   Uses A little vegan butter to grease the pan

2. 2

   Step 2: Break the graham crackers into smaller pieces and pulse them in a food processor until they are crumbs. Add the 6 tbsp melted vegan butter and process until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press evenly and firmly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.

   Uses 16 dairy-free graham crackers (240 g in the author’s batch) · 6 tbsp vegan butter for the crust, melted · Greased and foil-wrapped springform pan

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Using a mixer with a paddle attachment on low speed, beat the tofu cream cheese (20 oz) until light and creamy. Add the 135 g filling sugar and mix until smooth, then blend in the oat milk (80 ml). Add the eggs (2) one at a time, mixing just until each is incorporated. Mix in the vanilla (1 tsp), lemon zest, cinnamon (¼ tsp), salt (¼ tsp) and flour (2 tbsp) on low speed. Avoid over-mixing or beating air into the filling.

   Uses 20 oz dairy-free tofu cream cheese · 135 g granulated sugar for the filling · 80 ml oat milk · 2 eggs · 1 tsp vanilla extract · Finely grated zest of 1 lemon · ¼ tsp ground cinnamon · ¼ tsp salt

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Place the springform pan in a rimmed baking sheet and add external water to a depth of 1 cm.

   Uses Pressed graham-cracker crust in the prepared pan · Mixed tofu cream-cheese filling · Water for an external 1 cm-deep bath

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Carefully transfer the cheesecake and its water-bath baking sheet to the oven. Bake at 350°F (about 177°C) for 20 minutes without opening the oven door.

   First cheesecake bake: 20 minutes · 20 minUses Filled cheesecake pan in its external water bath

6. 6

   Step 6: Without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 275°F (about 135°C) and bake for another 50 minutes.

   Lower-temperature bake: 50 minutes · 50 minUses Cheesecake after the first bake, in its water bath

7. 7

   Step 7: After the second bake, switch off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for 2 hours to cool gradually. Do not open the door during this cooling period. Meanwhile, prepare the orange syrup in the following steps.

   Cool in the switched-off oven: 2 hours · 120 minUses Cheesecake after the lower-temperature bake

8. 8

   Step 8: While the cheesecake bakes or cools, put the 60 ml syrup water and the separate ¼ cup syrup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, and simmer for 3 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved.

   Dissolve syrup sugar: 3 minutes · 3 minUses 60 ml water for the orange syrup · ¼ cup granulated sugar for the orange syrup

9. 9

   Step 9: Dissolve the cornstarch (1 tsp) in the freshly squeezed juice of one mandarin orange or clementine. Pour it into the syrup while stirring constantly. Strain through a fine-meshed strainer to remove pulp and seeds, then return the strained liquid to the saucepan. Simmer until bubbly, no longer foamy and thickened. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely.

   Uses Dissolved sugar syrup · 1 tsp cornstarch · Freshly squeezed juice of 1 mandarin orange or clementine

10. 10

    Step 10: After the cheesecake has cooled completely, remove it from the water bath and its pan. Peel and supreme the topping mandarins, removing peel and membranes, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Brush the top of the cake with some cooled syrup, arrange the orange slices over it, and brush with more syrup to glaze. Set any unused syrup aside. Cut the cake into 12 portions.

    Uses Fully cooled cheesecake · Cooled strained orange syrup, as needed for brushing · 1–2 mandarin oranges for the topping, peeled and supremed, then cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices