Strawberry White Chocolate Cheesecake - No bake

Enjoy this creamy cheesecake on a warm summers day for a lighter but delicious dessert!

When I made this cheesecake, I performed a little dance when it had set - you don't know the length it has taken me to perfect my cheesecake recipes, I find them SO hard! You see (not to bore you too much) but I don't want my cheesecakes to be made with cashews, or tofu, or coconut milk. I want it to be made the way non-vegan cheesecakes are made, with ream cheese and double cream. And now that we have those products available for vegans surely it can be a simple 1:1 substitution? I tell you it is not, science always comes into it. 

So anyway, I've nailed this recipe and I'm thrilled! When I said it was a 'lighter dessert' I didn't mean healthier. I mean lighter in that it is not so heavy, I find in the summer we crave desserts that are more refreshing and this is exactly that. It's so creamy from the white chocolate, and the strawberries add a beautiful sweetness. You can always swap the strawberries for another berry, but I find strawberry and white chocolate a lovely combination.

If you like strawberries or white chocolate....

Check out my other recipes for more inspiration!

• Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
• Victoria Sponge
• White Chocolate Cupcakes

Recipe

Prep: 20 minutes + 6+ hours or overnight chilling time

Cook: no bake 

Serves: 10 

Notes:

• I really recommend using Oatly's whipping cream and cream cheese. Both are on the thicker side which makes the cheesecake filling more stable. Other vegan brands I find can be too watery and make the filling more loose. 

Ingredients

Base

• 300g Digestive biscuits
• 120g Butter, melted

Filling

• 200g Vegan White Chocolate
• 250ml Vegan double cream
• 400g Vegan Cream cheese
• 120g Icing sugar
• 200g Strawberries, quartered

Topping 

• 30g White chocolate melted
• 4 Large strawberries 
• Freeze-dried strawberries

Method

1. Line or lightly grease a 9inch cake tin.
2. Make the base first - crush the biscuits using a rolling pin or food processor, then mix together in a bowl with the melted butter stirring together thoroughly.
3. Press the biscuit mixture into the cake tin evenly, then place in the fridge to set for about 20 minutes. 
4. Meanwhile make the filling - melt the white chocolate in the microwave in 20 second intervals until melted, or in a bain-marie over a low heat. Leave to cool a little. 
5. In a large bowl, use an electric whisk to whip the cream until you have stiff peaks, this should take about 6-8 minutes. You can use a standing mixer but I find a hand-mixer is better for this. 
6. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the cream cheese and icing sugar together, then stir in the melted chocolate. 
7. Fold through the whipped cream gently so you don't deflate it, then fold through the chopped strawberries.
8. Spoon the filling on top of the biscuit base and spread evenly.
9. Place in the fridge to set for a minimum of 6 hours but ideally leave overnight for best results.
10. The next day, drizzle over the white chocolate, and add the strawberries on top to finish. Best eaten within 4 days and kept in the fridge. Enjoy!

Christina

xx

Peanut butter and Raspberry Pancakes

 Start the day with a big stack of these pancakes fill and topped with peanut butter and a delicious raspberry yoghurt!

I've had this recipe on my radar for a while but there was never a good time to make pancakes, a mistake I have learnt quickly - there is ALWAYS time for pancakes! I love peanut butter and I love the sweetness of berries with it so if you're like me, you'll love this big stack and you might mot even share it, I wouldn't judge. I've used Nush Raspberry Yoghurt here for a beautiful creamy addition to the fluffy pancakes and what I love about their yoghurts, is that not only are they suitable for vegans, dairy free and lactose free foodies, they're made from almonds so give this pancake recipe that extra nuttiness! If you can't get your hands on the raspberry flavour, they also do a strawberry and blueberry pot which also compliment this stack. 

If you love peanut butter and pancakes....

Check out my other pancake recipes for more inspiration!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Hummingbird Pancakes

Beet Pink Velvet Pancakes

Recipe

Prep: 5 mintes

Cook: 5-10 minutes

Serves: 2 - makes 6 pancakes

NOTE: every ingredient I use is vegan so make sure you check your ingredients if you're following a Vegan lifestyle.

Ingredients

200g ripe bananas

100g Oat flour or plain flour

145ml Soya milk

1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar

2tbsp Maple syrup 

1 1/2 tsp Baking powder

2tbsp Peanut butter

Pinch of salt

100g Raspberries

Nush Raspberry Yoghurt 

Extra peanut butter 

Method

✿In a jug, combine the soya milk and apple cider vinegar and leave to sit for 5 minutes. It will curdle but this is okay, as it is a 'buttermilk'. 

✿In a large bowl, add the oat flour, baking powder and salt and mix. 

✿Make a well in the centre, and add the maple syrup, peanut butter and 'buttermilk'. Mix well together to form a batter. 

✿Heat a large frying pan on a low to medium heat, and add a little oil or vegan butter. When hot enough, add 2 tablespoons of the batter to make 1 pancake. Repeat with more tbsp - I could fit 3 pancakes at a time in my pan. 

✿When the pancakes start to bubble after a few minutes, use a spatula to flip the pancakes over to cook on the other side. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, eventually the pancakes will be able to slide around the pan. 

✿Repeat with the remaining batter until used up. 

✿To serve, layer the pancakes with the Nush raspberry yoghurt, peanut butter and then top with the raspberries. Enjoy!

Christina 

xx

Cherry Lattice Pie

 Make this cherry lattice pie for a gorgeous showstopper dessert!

When cherries are in season in the summer, they are exceptional in desserts like this pie, or a crumble or a cake you name it, they are worth buying. I encourage you to but fruits when they are in season because not only is it better for the planet (less importing etc) but they really do taste so much better. So right now in the UK we are coming to the end of cherry season so now is the perfect time to make my lattice pie recipe! I'll admit it is the first time I had made a lattice topping for a pie and it was quite fiddly, but I really wanted the challenge and I am glad I tried it because although it isn't perfect, it does add a little something to the pie doesn't it. If you're not up for the lattice top, you can simply roll out the pastry and make a nice big lid, just make sure to seal the edges with the base. I hope you love this pie as much as I did, cherry pie really is so delicious and so sweet, best to enjoy with some ice cream or whipped cream!

If you love cherries or pies...

Check out my other recipes for more inspiration!

• Cherry Bakewell Flapjacks
• Cherry Baked Oats
• Cherry Bakewell Blondies

Recipe

Prep: 1 hour

Cook: 50 minutes

Serves: 10

Ingredients

Pastry

• 350g plain flour
• 2tbsp icing sugar
• 225g butter, cold and cubed
• 1tsp caster sugar for on top
• 1-2 tbsp ice cold water

Filling

• 500g frozen sweet cherries - not the sour kind
• 80g caster sugar
• 1/2 juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• x1 egg - for egg wash

Method

1. First make the pastry - in a large bowl, add the plain flour and icing sugar. Cube the butter into the bowl and use your hands to rub it into the flour. Keep going until you have a breadcrumb mixture.
2. Add 1 tbsp of the ice cold water and mix in to form a dough, add another tbsp if needed but not too much otherwise the dough will be too sticky. 
3. Once the dough is formed, split into two balls and then flatten each one into a disc. Wrap the discs in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile make the filling - In a medium saucepan on a medium heat, add all of the ingredients except the cornflour and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low-medium so that the cherries are simmering. Add the cornflour. Continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes stirring frequently so that the cherries do not stick to the saucepan. The mixture should reduce and thicken and then remove from the heat and leave to the side. 
5. Remove the dough from the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to use it so that it softens enough to roll. 
6. Roll out one of the discs about 1-2cm bigger than a 9inch pie dish. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough up and then unroll it on top of the pie dish. 
7. Use your fingers to gently push the dough down into the dish and press into the sides and base for straight edges. if any of the dough breaks just push it back together. Do not trim the edges yet. 
8. Pour the cherry filling into the pie base. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. 
9. With the remaining disc of dough roll out into a large circle roughly the size of the pie dish and cut about 14 long strips. 
10. Lay the pastry strips in a lattice over the cherry filling: lay 7 strips going in one direction then weave the other 7 in and out at right angles (in the other direction), leaving the loose ends of the strips hanging over the edge of the dish.
11. Seal the edges together with some water and trim to make a neat finish. 
12. crack the egg into a small bowl and beat then use a brush to egg wash the top of the pastry. 
13. Place on a tray and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. 
14. Then reduce the oven to 180 degrees and continue to bake for a further 30 minutes until golden on top. If the pastry looks like it is getting too brown before fully baked, cover with foil and continue to bake. 
15. Leave to cool in the tin for about 30 minutes to firm up before slicing and serving. Best served with custard, ice cream or whipped cream.
16. Will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Enjoy!

Christina

xx