The smooth rich taste of blackcurrant cheesecake. This lovely uncheesy cake was very easy to make and the taste was divine.

Uncheesy cassis cakes

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups plain soy yogurt, drained of water
2 Tbs. cashew butter
1-2 Tbs. powdered sugar
1 cup cassis (blackcurrant) jam
2 tsp. corn starch
20 vegan cookies
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. vegan margarine

Directions:

It is best to make this a day ahead of time, so that it has time to become solid.

To make the uncheesy cake”:

  1. Pour the soy yogurt into a cheesecloth, bring the edges up so that the yogurt remains in a little pouch.
  2. Allow the yogurt to drip for at least 1 hour or over night, to remove all the excess water.
  3. When the soy yogurt is ready, scrape it into a bowl add the cashew butter and powdered sugar and mix well.
  4. It should be only mildly sweet. If you wish it to be more tart, you could add some lemon juice, but the cassis is also a bit tast so I found it not necessary to add lemon juice.

To make the “jam”:

  1. If you have fresh blackcurrants, then boil 1-2 cups of berries in 1/2 cup water with 3-4 tablespoons of sugar.
  2. When the berries have cooked, push them through a sieve and allow to cool.
  3. Or, if you do not have the fresh berries, you can buy either blackcurrant (cassis) jam, blackberry jam or blueberry jam.
  4. Place 1 cup in a small sauce pan with a bit of water and the corn starch. Heat, stirring continually until the jam has thickened and is clear.
  5. Allow to cool.

To make the crust:

  1. Crush the cookies to the consistency of fine crumbs in a food processor, or using a rolling pin.
  2. Add the brown sugar and mix well.
  3. Melt the vegan margarine.
  4. Drizzle the vegan margarine over the crumbs and mix well.

To assemble:

  1. Mix 1/4-1/2 cup of the cassis jam into the yogurt mixture, depending upon how strong you want the cassis flavor to be. Be sure to save enough for a ayer of pure cassis jam for the top.
  2. Spray the form with cooking spray.
  3. Place the form on the plates you intend to use to serve.
  4. Place the cookie crumbs on the bottom and firmly press.
  5. Carefully fill the cassis cheesecake into the form, filling almost up to the top.
  6. Finally place a thin layer of cassis jam on the top.
  7. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or better overnight.

To unmold, some use the heat of a kitchen blowtorch around the edge to warm the inner area and then slide the cake out.
I loosened the edge with a knife, being careful not to move up and down but, along the inner surface of the ring.

Notes:

If blackberries or blue berries can be used instead of the black currents. I did not want to make a large traditional cheesecake, so decided to make 2 small ones, using pastry rings. They were perfect for Sunday afternoon tea.