Recipes

Wine and Dine

Tropical Mango and Pecan Cheesecake The Vegan Cookbook
Serves 8

• 65g/2½oz/5tbsp margarine
• 175g/6oz/½ cup oat biscuits, crushed
• 40g/1/½/¼ cup ground almonds
• 1 large mango, diced
• juice of 1 lemon
• 200g/7oz/scant 1 cup plain soya yoghurt
• 15ml/1tbsp cornflour
• 45ml/3tbsp maple syrup
• 2x225g/8oz tub vegan cream cheese
• Topping
• 50g/2oz/½ cup shelled pecan nuts
• 30ml/2tbsp maple syrup
• 1 mango, diced

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
2. Melt margarine in a saucepan, stir in crushed biscuits and ground almonds. Mix well.
3. Press biscuit mix into the base of a deep, lightly greased 23cm/9inch loose-bottomed cake tin, using back of a wooden spoon to press down evenly. 
4. Cook in oven for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile blend roughly chopped mango, lemon juice, yoghurt, cornflour, maple syrup and cream cheese in a food process or blender until smooth. Pour mix over the biscuit base and smooth with the back of a spoon.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden and set.
7. Allow to cool in tin, then transfer to a wire rack and refrigerate until ready to serve.
8. To make topping, toast the pecan nuts in a dry frying pan until browned. Heat maple syrup in a separate pan and add to pecan nuts. Stir well to coat. Remove from hat and brush top of cheesecake with the maple syrup.
9. Arrange pecan nuts around edge of cheesecake, reserving a few to decorate centre. Arrange mango inside outer circle of nuts. Pour over any remaining maple syrup.