New York Cheesecake (vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free)

First step is to soak the cashews and the dates in a bowl of water. This helps soften them so you can blend them easily later on. It also makes cashews more digestible by reducing their phytic acid which is an enzyme inhibitor found in most nuts.

Preheat oven to 180C and mix all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Press onto a 9 inch (22.5 cm) springform pan lined with parchment paper. I like to line the sides too but you can lightly grease them if you prefer.

Prick the crust all over with a fork (this prevents rising.) Place in the centre rack of the pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Take it out to cool while you prepare the filling.

After taking out the crust, reduce oven temperature to 160C. Fill up any oven-safe tray with water and place at the very bottom centre. This will help keep the cheesecake moist and prevent cracking.

Place all the ingredients for the filling into a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour onto the pre-baked crust and place in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes but make sure to check it after the 20 minute mark. The cheesecake is ready when the sides are set and the centre is still wobbly and brown on the outside.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes then place in the fridge and let it set. Ideally overnight but if you're impatient like me, it should still be mostly set by the 4 hour mark! Enjoy as is or with some coconut cream and fruits or jam on top.