No-Bake Mini Orange Cheesecakes

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 55 years 5 months 18 day
• total time: 55 years 5 months 18 day

Ingredients

40g of dairy-free butter (I use Flora Plant Block)

100g of plain biscuits (I use vegan digestives)

20g of desiccated coconut

3 tablespoons of corn flour + 2 tablespoons of water

100g of dairy-free butter/margarine

100g of caster sugar

170ml of orange juice

Zest of 2 large oranges

100g of vegan condensed milk

Drop of orange food gel / colouring

125g of cashew nuts (see step 1)

250g of vegan cream cheese

75g of icing / powdered sugar

2 teaspoons of orange extract / orange flavouring

50g of coconut cream

2 tablespoons of orange curd

Drop of orange food gel

50g of desiccated coconut

Fresh orange slices

220ml of dairy-free whipping cream + drop of orange food gel

Directions

Method (base)

Grease a 6 hole loose base / push up cookie cup tin with some dairy-free butter.

Add the dairy-free butter into a small saucepan, place on the hob and heat over low until fully melted. Remove from the heat and add into a medium sized, heat-proof mixing bowl.

Add the biscuits into a blender / food processor and blend until fine. Pour the biscuit crumbs and desiccated coconut into the melted butter and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula. It should resemble wet sand, and when you press it between your fingers, should hold its shape. If it’s too wet, add in some more biscuit crumbs, if too dry, add in some more melted butter.

Press approximately 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of mixture into each tin, making sure to compact it in using clean hands or spoon. The more compact it is, the less likely it will crumble. It’s best to use a loose base tin, I’ve linked a great one here.

Place aside whilst you make the orange curd.

Method (orange curd)

In a small bowl, add in the corn flour and water. Stir together into thick paste.

Add the cornflour paste, dairy-free butter, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, condensed milk and a drop of orange food gel (optional) into a medium sized saucepan.

Place the saucepan on the hob and heat over low to medium, stirring constantly, preferably with a whisk. After around 5-8 minutes the lemon curd will thicken. If the curd isn’t thickening, turn up the heat and constantly whisk.

Pour the curd into a heat proof jar or bowl, cover and place aside to cool down.

You can either put it in the fridge or keep it at room temperature to cool. Before you use it, give it a good stir as it will thicken. If it’s too thick, whip in some orange juice to loosen.

Method (cheesecake filling)

The cashew nuts will need to be soaked overnight in water. See notes (at the bottom of the recipe card) for more details.

Drain the cashew nuts from the water and place them into a food processor/blender along with the dairy-free cream cheese, icing sugar, orange extract / flavouring, coconut cream, orange curd and small drop of orange food gel to give a very subtle orange colour. Whizz up on high speed for around 5 minutes until smooth. Add some more coconut cream if needed. I use a ‘Kitchenaid Powerplus blender’. It’s best to use a high-speed blender if possible as the mixture is quite thick, and you want it as smooth as possible. You might need to stop the mixture a few times and scrape down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated and smooth.

Equally pour the mixture into each tin. Make sure to tap the cheesecakes onto the worktop to remove any air bubbles.

Optional: Swirl some orange curd on top of each cheesecake before chilling.

Place into the fridge overnight to set.

Once set, remove from the fridge, and push out the cheesecake (as the base is loose bottomed). To make it easier, place the tin into the freezer for 15 minutes to help firm up the cheesecakes, then slide a knife around the edges of the cheesecakes to help loosen them from the tin. Making the cheesecakes firmer will help push them out the tin and won’t damage them.

Pour some desiccated coconut on a plate then gently roll the sides of the cheesecakes in the coconut to cover. TIP: Do this while the cheesecakes are still firm to prevent them squishing.

Whip up the whipping cream (either in a stand mixer fitted with balloon whisk attachment, or with an electric hand whisk) along with a small drop of orange food gel until it holds a peak.

Transfer the cream into a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip nozzle.

Pipe a swirl on top of each cheesecake.

Fill the swirl with some orange curd. Optional: you can even drip some down the edges of the cheesecakes using a piping bag and snip off the tip.

Finish with a sprinkle of more coconut, and a orange slice on top.

Serve and enjoy.