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Vegan basque cheesecake | This vegan burnt basque cheesecake is smooth, custardy and sweet, it’s the perfect vegan dessert recipe. Silken tofu is a creamy and versatile ingredient, which gives this vegan cheesecake the best texture. Serve this basque cheesecake with my homemade strawberry sauce or blueberry sauce.
This vegan basque cheesecake is so smooth, custardy, and perfectly sweet. It pairs perfectly with homemade strawberry or blueberry sauce, which I provide recipes for in this post. This is the best vegan dessert recipe for any occasion, whether it be for a simple dessert or as the main attraction for a gathering.
Unlike traditional cheesecake, basque cheesecake is not cooked with a water bath. Basque cheesecake is cooked at a high temperature, in parchment paper, giving it that iconic caramelized, crinkly top with a creamy soft inside, and textured edges.
Silken tofu is an unassuming ingredient in vegan cooking and baking. It’s often used as a vegan cream cheese, given its custardy, smooth texture. Tofu doesn’t have much flavour either, which makes it perfect for vegan desserts like this burnt basque cheesecake.
You wouldn’t even know that this dessert was made with tofu, that’s how versatile tofu is.
How do you make burnt basque cheesecake?
Cheesecake is traditionally made in a springform pan, a two piece pan that fastens together. You can just use a cake pan, with parchment paper. Leave an extra inch of parchment paper and to help you easily lift the cheesecake out of the pan.
This vegan cheesecake is very simple to make, start by blending all the ingredients until smooth. then pour into a parchment lined cake pan. Pop into a 400°F oven, and bake for 65-70 minutes. The top will be crinkly and dark golden brown. Let the cheesecake cool in the pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
From here you can make the strawberry or blueberry sauce and let it cool. Then cut the cheesecake into 6 pieces and serve with the fruit sauce.
What makes vegan basque cheesecake different from traditional cheesecake?
For starters, vegan basque cheesecake is made with silken tofu instead of cream cheese. Silken tofu is custardy, soft, and perfect for getting that creamy cheesecake texture. The tofu is flavoured with sugar and vanilla, and mixed with coconut cream and vegan cream. You wouldn’t even know that it’s made with tofu.
How do I achieve the burnt top without using real dairy?
Getting a dark crinkly top to the cheesecake is all about the temperature of the oven, not so much the ingredients. Vegan basque cheesecake uses the same baking method as traditional basque cheesecake. Baking it at a high temperature of 400°F in a parchment lined cake pan and without a water bath provides a dark and crinkly top to the cheesecake, with the inside being smooth and light.
Ingredients
More about the ingredients in this recipe. The exact measurements are below.
- Silken tofu – The softest kind of tofu, it’s creamy and custardy making it perfect for achieving the soft and light inside of the cheesecake.
- Coconut cream and non dairy cream- Coconut cream is thick part at the top of a can of coconut milk. You’ll need a cup. I use oat based cream.
- Cornstarch- To give the mixture some structure.
- White sugar and vanilla extract – To sweeten the tofu and add flavour. You could use brown sugar instead.
- Salt – To enhance the flavours of all the ingredients.
- Melted vegan butter- To brush over the parchment paper, you could also use a neutral oil.
- Strawberries – For strawberry sauce, you can use fresh or frozen strawberries.
- Blueberries – For blueberry sauce, you can use fresh or frozen blueberries.
- White sugar and lemon juice – For the fruit sauces.
Instructions
- Drain the tofu and pat it dry. No need to press it as moisture is key to this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line an 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper, leaving about 1 1/2 inch in excess to help lift the cheesecake out of the pan. I like to crumple the parchment paper up so that it sits nicely in the pan.
Lightly brush the parchment paper with melted vegan butter.
Add the tofu, coconut cream, vegan cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt to a blender and blend for 30-40 seconds until smooth. Scrape the sides down once or twice. It’s okay if the mixture isn’t completely smooth, but all large lumps should be blended.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Use a skewer and pop any large bubbles that may appear on the top.
Bake for 65-70 minutes. The top should be dark and crinkly, with the edges being the darkest. If the top cracks a bit, that’s ok.
While the cheesecake is baking, you can start the fruit sauces. Add the fruit, sugar, and lemon (and water, if making the blueberry sauce) to a pot and heat on medium high heat. Stir frequently. Bring to a simmer and then cook for 10-15 minutes. The fruit should release some liquid and become soft. Set aside to cool.
Let the cheesecake cool in the cake pan for about 1 hour, then carefully lift it out of the pan using the excess parchment paper, and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Then cut the cheesecake into 6 slices, and serve with either fruit sauce.
Tips for making vegan basque cheesecake
- Make sure to leave excess parchment paper: This will allow you to easily lift the cheesecake out of the cake pan without breaking it.
- Don’t overblend: Overblending will create air bubbles throughout the mixture which you can poke with a skewer before baking the cheesecake. Bubbles won’t ruin the cheesecake but they aren’t ideal.
- Don’t use tofu that has been frozen: Freezing the tofu significantly changes the texture of it, so make sure you use fresh silken tofu for this recipe to get that creamy texture.
- Sauces: I provide recipes for strawberry sauce and blueberry sauce in this post, but feel free to experiment with other toppings like chocolate sauce or other fruit sauces.
What to serve with vegan cheesecake
Follow my instructions for strawberry sauce or blueberry sauce provided below. The fruit sauces pair perfectly with the sweet and custardy cheesecake.
Experiment with different toppings like chocolate sauce, other fruit sauces or nuts, crumbled cookies or fresh fruit.
Instead of the traditional fruit sauce, try a sweet citrus sauce, using lemon or orange.
Serve with vegan coconut cream. If you have any left over from the can used in this recipe, use that! Simply whip the coconut cream with a pinch of powdered sugar until thick.
Enjoy a co*cktail with dessert, like my dairy free white russian for similar creamy vibes, or my pomegranate vodka co*cktail.
Substitutions
- This recipe isvegan and gluten free.
- Instead of white sugar, you could use brown sugar or powdered sugar, but I wouldn’t recommend using liquid sweeteners as they may make the mixture too thin.
- I recommend using any kind of plant based creamer as they are normally thicker than plain plant milk.
- Instead of traditional strawberry sauce or blueberry sauce, try chocolate sauce or any other fruit sauce.
Storage
Store the vegan cheesecake, wrapped in plastic wrap or in an air tight container, in the fridge for up to 4 days. Do not freeze the cheesecake as it is made with tofu, and freezing tofu significantly alters the texture. It would be chewy instead of custardy after freezing.
FAQ’s
How do you store vegan basque cheesecake?
Store vegan basque cheesecake in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Do not freeze it as it is made with tofu, and freezing tofu alters the texture,
How should you serve vegan basque cheesecake?
Serve vegan basque cheesecake with strawberry or blueberry sauce, or get creative with chocolate sauce, nut butters or vegan whipped cream.
How do you make vegan basque cheesecake?
The secret ingredient in vegan basque cheesecake is silken tofu. It’s smooth, custardy and easily sweetened. Blend all ingredients and bake at a high temperature.
Vegan Basque Cheesecake
5 from 1 vote
This vegan burnt basque cheesecake is smooth, custardy and sweet, it's the perfect vegan dessert recipe. Silken tofu is a creamy and versatile ingredient, which gives this vegan cheesecake the best texture. Serve this basque cheesecake with my homemade strawberry sauce or blueberry sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Servings 6
Ingredients
For the cheesecake
- 450 grams silken tofu
- 1 cup coconut cream
- ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons vegan creamer I use oat based creamer
- ¾ cups white sugar
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- melted vegan butter
For strawberry sauce
- 1 ½ cups strawberries fresh or frozen, halved
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
For blueberry sauce
- 1 ½ cups blueberries fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Cheesecake
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line an 8 inch cake pan with parchment paper, leaving 1 1/2 inches excess and spread it with melted vegan butter.
Pat the tofu dry. Add the tofu and the rest of the cheesecake ingredients to a blender and blend for 30-40 seconds or until smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 65-70 minutes. The top should look dark and crackly, being darkest towards the edges.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the cheescake cool for 1 hour. Then, using the excess parchment paper, lift the cheesecake from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice into 6 pieces and serve with the homemade strawberry or blueberry sauce. You can run the knife under hot water to slice the cheesecake easier.
Strawberry sauce
Add the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice to a pot and heat on medium high heat until simmering. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Let cool.
Blueberry sauce
Add the blueberries, water, sugar and lemon juice to a pot and heat on medium high heat until simmering. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Let cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition information does not include fruit sauces.
Leave excess parchment paper to help lift the cheesecake out of the pan.
Don’t overblend or else bubbles will appear on the top of the mixture. It won’t affect the baking process but will show.
Don’t use tofu that has been frozen or the texture will be chewy instead of custardy.
Nutrition
Calories: 268kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 5gFat: 10gSugar: 28g
Keyword vegan basque cheescake
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