Friday, November 26, 2010

Dairy and Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pecan Cheesecake

This year I wanted to make a dairy and gluten free dessert for me to enjoy which combined two of my favorite pre- allergy holiday treats and Sweet Potato Pecan Cheesecake was born.  Honestly, people kept calling it pumpkin cheesecake which tells you just how interchangeable sweet potatoes and pumpkin are in desserts.  This dessert is what I imagine would be born if pecan pie and sweet potato cheesecake had a baby :)  I hope you try this and enjoy it as much as I did!  Parts of this recipe were found and adapted to suit the needs of this dessert.  I especially must mention that the whipped cream is based on the Honey Whipped Cream from Gluten Free Easily and the cheesecake layer is adapted from a Pumpkin Tofu Cheesecake recipe.  Also feel free to substitute pureed pumpkin for the sweet potato if not allergic like I am.

Dairy & Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pecan Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/2 rice flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbs sugar
pinch of salt
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup dairy free buttery spread, melted
cold water

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Beat together the egg and melted buttery spread.
Sift together the dry ingredients over the wet.
Stir - it will be soft and crumbly.
Stir in cold water until the dough just holds together.
Press into the bottom of a greased 10" spring form pan.

Pecan Pie Layer
3 large eggs
3 tbs vegan buttery spread, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Stir together the eggs, vegan buttery spread, brown sugar, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract.
Pour over the unbaked crust layer.
Sprinkle evenly with the chopped pecans.
Bake 20 to 30 minutes at 350 F or until set slightly.
Allow to cool while mixing the sweet potato cheesecake layer.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake Layer
1 1/2 lbs silken tofu
12 oz vegan cream cheese
1 heaping cup mashed baked sweet potato
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground ginger (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, seeds only

Reduce oven to 325 F.
Blend the tofu until smooth either in a food processor or a stand mixer with whip attachment.
Add in vegan cream cheese, mashed baked sweet potato, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean.
Continue to mix until the batter is very smooth.
Pour cheesecake batter over the slightly cooled pecan pie layer.
Bake at 325 F for 1 hour to 1 1/4 hours or until just barely set.
Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to remain in the oven as it cools for 1 hour.
Cool to room temperature then refrigerate overnight.
Remove cheesecake from the spring form pan just before serving.

Whipped Cream
2 cans full fat coconut milk
3 tbs honey (or more if you prefer a sweeter whipped cream)

Place 2 cans of full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator at least 24 hours before you want to make the whipped cream. 
A few hours before making the whipped cream place a metal mixing bowl and beaters from electric mixer or whisk into the freezer.
The whipped cream works best if everything is ice cold!
Spoon the top thick portion of the coconut milk into your bowl.
Try not to spoon out any of the bottom watery portion.
Whip or beat the coconut cream until it resembles whipped cream.
Add the honey and beat again until it reaches the soft peak stage.
Keep the whipped cream chilled until ready to use.

3 comments:

  1. Stephanie,
    If you're up for a game of tag, you've been tagged: http://mrsedsresearchandrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/11/recipe-review-for-zucchini-casserole.html

    Only if you want to, and if you do but you are busy, just do it whenever you have a chance.

    Tracee

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks incredible! Perfect flavor combination! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

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