Lemon Cashew Cream Cake (GF/VE)

Gluten free vegan cheesecake, yes please.

Brunch at home is always a lovely opportunity cook tasty treats. I invited some girlfriends over on Saturday and initially wanted to make a cheesecake. However as one of the girls is breastfeeding, she has to avoid lactose. So, I wanted to innovate on making a vegan cheesecake.

The ‘cheese’ in this is blended cashews with water, lemon and honey. I would recommend to add more lemon juice to the cashew cream and or serve with some fruit. As it may taste too dry without. I’ll definitely make this again and refine the recipe. But for now, here’s my happy little experiment.

Ingredients

Base

  • 1 cup gluten free oats

  • 1 cup hazelnuts

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil

  • 1 tablespoon of maple syrup

Lemon Cashew Cream

  • 1 cup cashew nuts (soaked for at least 1 hour, or even better, overnight)

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1/2 lemon juiced (start with half and then add more if desired)

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Garnish

  • Icing sugar, lemon slices, crushed pistachios and optional for edible flowers.

  • Serve with strawberries and blueberries.

Method

  1. BLEND the base ingredients and bake for 15 minutes @ 180 degrees until golden. I used an adjustable cake mould from Ikea, over a sheet of baking paper on a tray. Otherwise you can use your own cake mould.

  2. BLEND the cashew cream ingredients. Add more lemon and honey to desired taste.

  3. POUR the cashew cream onto the base and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the cashew cream is slightly golden.

  4. GARNISH with lemon slices, icing sugar, crushed pistachios and edible flowers.

Tips:

  • Cashew cream can have a tendency to have a dry taste to it, which is why I recommend to add in the lemon juice and serve with fruits. It definitely adds more flavour.

  • Soak the cashews for at least one hour, it makes it easier to blend.

  • Depending on the consistency of choice for the cream, you can add more water and a little bit of vegetable oil. Taste as you go, only adding little by little!

Lizbeth Pal-DevelterComment