With the festive season just around the corner we’re all about eating, drinking and being merry! If you’re on cooking duties this year, we have a dessert that will go down a storm, and the best bit? It’s vegan too!
We’d love to see how you get on, so send in pics of your efforts to info@melanmag.com and we’ll feature on our social media.
Cranberry Cheesecake
For the base:
250g/ 8 ½ oz vegan digestive biscuits
100g/3 ½ oz vegan margarine
1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the filling:
100g/ 3 ½ oz dried cranberries
Liquid for soaking (see method)
450g/1 lb unflavoured vegan cream cheese
200g/7oz unflavoured vegan yoghurt
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp golden syrup
To decorate:
Holly leaves
Fresh pomegranate kernels
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Grease the base and sides of a 23cm/9 inch, loose-based tart tin.
- Place the cranberries in a small bowl and cover with soaking liquid of your choice – perhaps vegan red wine or brandy, fruit juice or an alcohol-free fruit punch. Leave to soak for up to an hour until required.
For the base:
- Put the biscuits into a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin until they resemble breadcrumbs.
- Melt the margarine in a saucepan, then take off the heat and stir in the biscuit crumbs and cinnamon.
- Mix thoroughly, then press the mixture into the base of the prepared tin and press down with the back of a spoon. Bake on a baking tray for 10 minutes.
For the filling:
- Put the vegan cream cheese, vegan yoghurt, cornflour and golden syrup into a large bowl and mix well. Drain the cranberries and gently stir into the mixture.
- Spoon the filling over the biscuit base, smooth it with the back of a spoon and return to the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden and just set.
Allow to cool in the tin, then remove from tin onto a serving plate and chill until ready to serve. Decorate with holly leaves (not for eating!) and fresh pomegranate kernels.
Enjoy!
Recipe supplied by The Vegan Society
