cheesecake - Healthy turtle cheesecake

By tinathorn

Ingredients

• Topping:
• Ingredients- cheesecake base
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour (other flours would probably be fine too)
• 1 tbs ground flax/chia
• Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract to taste (optional)
• 2 tbs cocoa powder
• 2 tbs agave or maple syrup (plus a pinch of stevia for optional extra sweetness)
• Approx. 1/4 cup vegan yoghurt (or regular yoghurt for non vegan)
• Ingredients- cheesecake
• 1 package of silken tofu (I used Mori Nu)
• 1/2 cup cashew butter (or an mild light coloured creamy nut butter)
• 1/3 cup agave plus 1/4 tsp pure stevia (add extra to taste if desired)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbs ground chia (I used white chia for a lighter colour but it’s not necessary)
• Generous handful of dark choc drops plus extra choc for shavings
• Generous handful of pecan pieces
• Generous drizzle of caramel sauce (see below)
• Ingredients- caramel sauce
• 1/2 cup rapadura/sucanat/coconut sugar (I used coconut sugar)
• 1/2 cup soy yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp carob powder (optional for extra richness)
• 1 heaped tbs coconut oil

Details

Adapted from includingcake.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the base, mix all ingredients together until you have a soft sticky ball of dough. Press the dough into the bottom of a lightly greased cake pan (use one with a removal bottom for ease later on).
For the caramel, add the sugar and half of the yoghurt to a small pan over the stove and then gently melt the sugar over a low heat. Once dissolved, add the remaining yoghurt and carob if using. Whisk well whilst bringing the mixture to a simmer for approx. 3 minutes until you have a smooth rich caramel sauce. Stir through the coconut oil at the end of the cooking time. Pour into a tub and allow to cool until use.
For the cheesecake, blitz all the ingredients together in a blender/food processor (I use my Thermomix) and then pour over the base layer in the cake pan(s). Add the sprinkling of choc chips acorss the top of the batter.
Bake the cheesecakes for 15-25 minutes depending on the size of the tins (I used two 4” tins and they took just under 20 minutes) Once just golden and a skewer come away clean they are ready- note they may be puffed up when you take them out fo thr oven (mine were which surrised me!) It’s ok they settle down flat again as they cool.
Chill for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Once chilled add pecans, drizzle over the caramel sauce and then add chocolate shavings to complete the look. Chill prior to serving (the caramel will firm up a little due to the coconut oil content).