Tofu & Mascarpone New York Cheesecake
This is a delicious take on this classic cheesecake recipe with a fraction of the fat, no added sugar, and a lot more protein because of the tofu. And not only is it more tasty, it’s actually good for you. It’s particularly great, if like me you’re *perimenopausal/ menopausal (I’m still not sure which category I’m in). The tofu is rich in soy protein, and isoflavones – a substance that mimics Estrogen in the body, and in particular, soy protein has been found in studies to help reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, brain fog, and night sweats. So you have a really valid reason for looking forward to pudding, because you’re giving a treat to the taste buds as well as getting many of the nutrients that are traditionally only found in main courses.
For a special treat, use Nairn’s Stem Ginger biscuits, which are made with oats instead of wheat, so you get a lovely, gingery crunch. And they contain around the same amount of sugar as Digestive biscuits (ordinary gingernuts don’t, they contain over double the sugar as Nairn’s).
Remember to make the day before you need it because it has to be refrigerated overnight.
*If you’re in this category, don’t be tempted to eat this cheesecake, or other soy proteins constantly every day. Estrogen receptors seem more primed when they’re hit with soy protein, then don't get a lot, and are then hit again. So try to consume soy in varying amounts, rather than consuming a continuously high amount every day.
Ingredients
150g Digestive biscuits or Nairn’s Stem ginger biscuits.
25g Oatbran.
1 Egg white.
400g Silken Tofu.
150g Mascarpone cheese.
3 Eggs, large (plus the remaining yolk).
140g Pure Via Erythritol, or Total Sweet Xylitol.
2 tsp Vanilla extract.
2 dsp Lemon juice from 2 fresh lemons plus zest of one lemon.
20g Cornflour.
You need one round baking tin 20cm (8 inches) in diameter and 9cm (3.5 inches) depth, lined with baking paper. I use a shaped paper case along with paper at the sides to ensure that the mix doesn’t seep out.
Instructions
Heat oven to 160 degrees C (150 C fan oven).
Crush the digestive/ Nairn’s ginger biscuits and add the oatbran.
Whisk the egg whites till they resemble soft peaks (like meringue), and mix with the crushed biscuits and oatbran.
Flatten into the lined tin and bake for 10 minutes then take out of the oven and leave in the tin to cool.
In a bowl, place the silken tofu, mascarpone, erythritol, and vanilla and mix with an electric mixer. The ingredients will resemble a curdled mess but don’t worry, it will become smooth when you add the eggs.
Add one egg at a time as you continue mixing, and the leftover yolk.
Add the cornflour, and finally the lemon juice and zest.
Pour into the tin and bake for 15 minutes at 160 degrees, then lower the heat to 140 degrees and bake for a further 45 minutes.
Then switch off the oven and leave the cheesecake in to prevent the top cracking. After 10 minutes open the oven door, and keep the cheesecake in until it’s cool (another hour).
When cold, place in the fridge and enjoy it the next day – it’s best eaten at room temperature.
Reference
Gregory L Burke 1, Claudine Legault, Mary Anthony, Deirdre R Bland, Timothy M Morgan, Michelle J Naughton, Kelly Leggett, Scott A Washburn, Mara Z Vitolins, Soy protein and isoflavone effects on vasomotor symptoms in peri- and postmenopausal women: the Soy Estrogen Alternative Study, Menopause, Mar-Apr 2003;10(2):147-53.