A couple of weeks ago, we received an email from Leslie, a Go Dairy Free viewer.  She shared a couple of her favorite recipes including one for vegan "cheese" cake, "I found this in a [magazine]. It was ranked best cheese cake and was tested next to a real one and they could barely tell difference. I don't like tofu and I thought it was great. The credit goes to a woman named Nicole Weston November 2004 on a web sight called bakingsheet." So we contacted Nicole, who's blog/website has now transformed from Bakingsheet into Baking Bites (a new addition to my personal favorites!), and she was kind enough to permit reprint of this recipe and of the accompanying photos for you to view below. Thank you Leslie and Nicole for this lighter (read: New Year's resolution-friendly), yet still indulgent version of a traditional favorite! ....

(Vegan) Lemon Cheesecake

Recipe from Baking Bites / Bakingsheet - "When I make something vegan, I do not tell people - excluding veg friends - that it is vegan. I prefer to suprise them with it once they've already eaten some. This cheesecake got good reviews, even after it was revealed to be vegan. I don't think anyone would deny that this is a tasty cheesecake. It was a cross between a dense, New York style cheesecake and a lighter, European style cheesecake. It had a great texture, a bit melting, light and fluffy. I chose to make it lemon flavored, not wanting another dense chocolate dessert, but you could substitute orange or lime juice for the lemon. Per slice, not necessarily by weight, this cheesecake has half of the calories and more than 3 times less fat than regular cheesecake. Good reason to have seconds!"

1-14 oz package firm silken tofu
1-8 oz package Better than Cream Cheese
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
½ tsp almond extract
2 tbsp cornstarch
1-9 inch pie crust

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Place silken tofu and vegan cream cheese in the food processor. Process for 1 minute, then add sugar. Process until smooth and no sugar granules remain, 3-5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and almond extract. Whisk in cornstarch. Pour mixture into the food processor and process until very smooth. Pour into prepared crust and bake for 45 minutes.

Allow to cool at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight.

Serves 10

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