DESCRIPTION
Although it seems laborious to make, this cheesecake may, instead, be the simplest yet most satisfying dessert you will ever make!The simplicity to goodness ratio is unparalleled. If you, too, madly love Sicilian cannoli and have always dreamed of eating a huge one, this cheesecake is exactly what you need to make your big, mouthwatering wish come true!
I wanted to respect everything: taste, textures and ingredients (vegetable of course). So, what you will end up with is a cheesecake with a crunchy, flavorful base (in the traditional recipe, the cannoli wafer calls for cinnamon and cocoa) and a melting cream that will resemble the silky texture of ricotta cheese.
I unfortunately did not have pistachio nuts in the house, but if you have them, feel free to use them to decorate the surface of the cake. And unfortunately I did not have candied cherries either, but if you have them, lay a few on the surface to crown the cake.In the cream, I added dark chocolate chips (a broken dark chocolate bar is fine too) and orange candied fruit (homemade), as per the rule.Candied fruit is not appreciated by everyone-feel free to omit it if you don’t like it.
Powdered sugar makes the cream body smoother and softer. If you do not have any, you can grind the granulated one with a food processor. I do not recommend using raw sugar because of the color. If it is not a problem for you not to have perfectly white cream, then use dark whole-grain sugar.It is possible to substitute agave syrup for the sugar, which should be in the amount of 75 g in the recipe.Coconut oil allows the cream and base to compact in the refrigerator, in fact it solidifies at low temperatures. But don’t worry, the flavor will not be noticeable.
This cheesecake is perfect for any occasion, because it is so quick to make that you have time to prepare it even a few hours before afternoon tea, and it is so good and sure to impress that it is ideal to present at a birthday or ceremony.
Now it’s time to find out how to prepare it by following the few simple steps below step by step.
INGREDIENTS FOR A 16CM DIAMETER CAKE PAN
For the “ricotta” cream
For the base
PROCEDURE
- For the base: weigh the cookies and chop them finely inside a food processor. Add a pinch of cinnamon.
- Transfer the flaky cookies to a large mixing bowl. Heat the coconut oil (if it is hard) and pour in the prescribed amount. Mix the ingredients well with the help of a spatula. This will result in a crumbly, unworkable by hand and moist consistency.
- Line the bottom of the hinged cake pan with baking paper and pour the cookie mixture inside. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, level the base to make it as smooth and straight as possible. Also make the edges, which should be about 4-5 cm high. Place in the refrigerator to firm up.
- For the cream: in a bowl, transfer the vegetable spreadable cheese and powdered sugar. Mix the ingredients together and add a tablespoon of melted coconut oil. Add chocolate chips and orange candied fruit. Mix the ingredients together.
- Now retrieve the cake pan from the refrigerator and pour the cream inside. Level the cream with a spatula or the back of a spoon and place in the refrigerator to firm up for about 2 hours.
- After about 2 hours, the cheesecake is ready to be cut and enjoyed.
NOTE
For storage: cover the cheesecake under a cake bell and store in the refrigerator. Consume within a week (remember the expiration date of the vegetable cheese spread).
Author: Stella Colonna
Source : Vegabulous