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Straightforward Cashew Lemon Cheezecake – Vegan Under Pressure

I am not a dairy cheesecake fan, but I love vegan cheezecake as it’s usually not cloyingly sweet or overly fatty. This comes together rather easily but seems like a very special dessert. It can be served with a variety of fruit toppings, depending upon what’s in season. The star is the filling, although the crust is mighty tasty, too. You do, however, need to remember to soak the cashews for at least 2 hours in advance. To get the best results, you need to use a high-speed blender. You can also make this in a regular blender or food processor, but know that you won’t get the creamy result that is intended (it will still taste darned good). You will need a 6-, 7-, or 8-inch springform pan that fits inside your pressure cooker. If you don’t want to make an oat crust, use your favorite raw crust.

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 1 cup quick oats
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • ½ cup chopped dates soaked in ¼ cup water for 15 to 30 minutes, drained, but reserve soaking liquid

Filling

  • 1 cup cashews soaked in 1 cup water for 2 to 4 hours
  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • ¼ cup coconut palm sugar
  • ½ cup vanilla nondairy milk
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
  • ½ cup fresh raspberries blueberries, or strawberries; or 6 figs, sliced; or other fruit to top the cheezecake

Instructions
 

  • Add 1½ cups water to your pressure cooker and add a rack elevated above the water. Create a set of helper handles to enable you to remove the pan.
  • To make the crust: Combine the crust ingredients in a mini food processor and process briefly until the mixture comes together. If it seems too dry, add a tablespoon at a time of the date soaking liquid until you have a cohesive “dough.” It should be firm but not gooey. Press into the bottom and a little way up the sides of a springform pan that will fit in your pressure cooker.
  • To make the filling: Drain the cashews, reserving the soaking water. Add the cashews and half the soaking water to a high-speed blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add more water, if necessary. Add the coconut flour, palm sugar, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla to the blender or processor. Blend well. Add the arrowroot and blend again.
  • Pour the filling into the crust, smoothing out the top. Cover the pan with foil or a cover. Lower the pan into the pressure cooker, using the helper handle, if necessary.
  • Lock on the lid. Bring to high pressure; cook for 20 minutes. Let the pressure come down naturally. Carefully open the cooker, tilting the lid away from you.
  • Using the helper handle, carefully take the pan out of the cooker. Remove the cover carefully so any accumulated moisture does not drip onto the cake. Set the pan on a rack to cool. Place the fruit on top of the cheezecake. Let cool for at least 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before removing the outer part of the pan and serving.

Notes

Text excerpted from Vegan Under Pressure, © 2015 by Jill Nussinow. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved