Cabin Biscuit Cheesecake | Dairy Free and Refined Sugar Free

Cabin Biscuits - a staple snack that filled the pantries of many Nigerian households, including mine when I was growing up. Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a packet of these iconic biscuits in my local African grocery store here in the UK. Eagerly, I brought them home, anticipation building  as I opened it. Yet, as I took my first bite, that sweet anticipation gave way to a pang of disappointment. The biscuits, perhaps over baked, were drier than I remembered, lacking the gentle crunch and subtle sweetness that I remembered.

In an effort to turn things around, I decided to repurpose the biscuits into a dessert. A vegan baked tofu cheesecake was just the answer. A crunchy base made with the biscuits, a creamy baked tofu filling, sweetened naturally to ensure it’s both dairy-free and refined sugar-free. I topped my cheesecake with some frozen berries (warmed up in the microwave for 30 seconds so that they became saucy). Feel free to get experimental with your toppings. The cheesecake filling is intentionally neutral (well, vanilla flavoured) so that it's a great canvas for any bright, flavourful topping. Why not drizzle over some melted chocolate or salted caramel sauce?

It goes without saying that you can make this recipe using any other type of biscuit for the base - Digestives work particularly well. 

You can also choose to use a different sweetener such as agave syrup, dates or coconut sugar.

I made a small cheesecake in a 4 inch spring form tin, so if you want a larger cheesecake, you'll need to double or triple the quantities.

I hope you give this recipe a try. You can watch the full recipe video (Reel) and share your creations with me over on Instagram!

 

Ingredients 
(Serves 4)

For the crust:
45g cabin biscuits 
40g vegan butter, melted
dash of maple syrup

For the filling:
100g tofu
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp corn flour
3 tbsp soy milk
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp plain protein powder (optional)

For the topping:

50g mixed frozen berries

1 tbsp maple syrup

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 

2. Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin or in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. In a bowl, mix the crumbs, melted vegan butter and a dash of maple syrup. Line a round 4 inch spring form tin with baking paper and pour the mixture into the base of the tin. Use the bottom of a small glass cup to press the crumbs down until even and compact. Set aside.

3. To make the filling, add all the ingredients to a small blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour the mixture onto the biscuit base and tap/shake the tin against the countertop to remove any large air bubbles.

4. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30-35 minutes until the outer edges of the cheesecake are firm to the touch. Leave to cool completely before taking out of the tin and removing the baking paper.

5. For the topping, place the frozen berries and maple syrup in a bowl and microwave for 30-45 seconds. This should keep the berries mostly whole but also create a delicious pool of juice. Spoon this over the cheesecake and serve. Enjoy!