Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake With Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting And Apple Cider Reduction Food

VEGAN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine tofu, cream cheese substitute, agave, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla in a food processor and puree until completely smooth. It should be silky smooth, not chalky or lumpy.
• Remove a heaping cup of this mixture from the processor and spread it in the bottom of the crust.
• Add pumpkin, brown sugar, rum, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to the ingredients remaining in the food processor and process until well blended. Smooth it carefully over the white layer in the crust, heaping it slightly in the middle.
• Bake until the center is almost set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate before serving until completely chilled, at least 3 hours.

VEGAN PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate or springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Drizzle in the oil or melted margarine. Use a spoon to blend the mixture thoroughly to moisten the crumbs, then drizzle in the soy milk and stir again to form a crumbly dough.
• Pour the crumbs into the pie plate or springform pan. Using your fingers or a flat-bottom cup, press crumbs into the the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until firm. Let the crust cool before filling.
• Make the topping: In a mixing bowl, use a fork to mash together brown sugar, margarine and salt until crumbly, then fold in the chopped nuts and stir to coat with the mixture. Set aside until ready to use.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Drain the cashews and blend with the banana, tofu, sugar, brown sugar, coconut oil, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla and orange extracts, and sea salt. Blend until completely smooth and no bits of cashew remain. Add the pumpkin purée, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and blend until smooth, then pour it onto the crust.
• Bake the cheesecake for 45 to 50 minutes, removing the cheesecake halfway through the baking period to sprinkle on the topping. Return to oven to continue baking. Cheesecake will be done when the top is lightly puffed and the edges of the cake are golden. Remove it from the oven and let cool on a rack for 20 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to complete cooling, at least 3 hours or, even better, overnight. To serve, slice the cake using a thin, sharp knife dipped in cold water.