Listen up my gorgeous friends – this dessert is a holiday MUST! My in-laws are coming into town, and my father-in-law is diabetic, but he loves desserts, and his all-time favorite dessert is Banana Cream Pie, so I decided to take it to the next level by adding swirls of healthy chocolate fudge – did I say healthy? I most certainly did – this vegan “cheese” cake is a real crowd pleaser.
Vegan “Cheese” Cake
Ingredients:
Crust:
- 7 ounces of vegan/gluten-free sugar cookies – you can find them here or make your own (see my recipe below)
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, crushed into small pieces
Filling:
- 1 1lb block of organic silken tofu
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 1/2 cup soy or almond milk
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp corn starch or Tapioca starch
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chips (I love Enjoy Life)
- 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
- 1 tbsp soy or almond milk
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
- Place the crust ingredients in a food processor, and process until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Line a pie dish base with a round of parchment paper, and then grease the whole pie dish really well (I use coconut spray). Empty the pie crust ingredients into the dish and press down firmly with the back of a spoon, making sure the surface is smooth and compact.
- Place in the oven for 15 minutes – remove and allow it to cool.
- Meanwhile – time to make the filling:
- Place the tofu, coconut oil, banana, milk, maple syrup and corn starch in the bowl of the food processor and process until you get a smooth, creamy texture. Pour out the filling onto your crust.
- In a double-boiler, melt the chocolate chips, brown rice syrup and milk. Stir constantly to speed up the process and make sure you get a nice melty consistency.
- Now it’s time to work fast! Spoon the chocolate mixture into a condiment/squeezy bottle, and squeeze lines of sauce across the top of the filling. It will tend to sink quickly so you may need to go over the lines again – then quick as you can, drag a butter knife or bamboo stick through the lines to create a marble effect.
- Place your pie in the over and bake for 50 minutes. When it’s done, the surface should be firm to the touch, but still with a little bit of give (like a super soft sponge).
- Remove from oven and allow it to cool on the counter. When it’s cool, transfer to the fridge and chill for a few hours before serving.
I recommend serving with Soy or Rice whipped cream!
