Vegan Chocolate Ombre Cheesecake

Method (base)

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC fan, and line an 8 inch loose base / push up cake tin with grease-proof paper. 
2. Make the flax ”eggs” – Add the flaxseed into a small bowl and add in the water. Stir to combine then set aside to thicken. This will take around 10 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter/margarine, sugar and flax eggs. Whisk to combine until light in colour.
4. Add in the Whittard Cookies and Cream powder, baking powder and flour. Mix until a thick brownie batter.
5. Press the batter into the loose base / lined cake tin, making sure to get it as flat as possible.
6. Smooth out using the back of a spoon or off-set spatula. Alternatively, use your hands. Tip: As the brownie batter is sticky, dip your finger tips in cocoa powder before pressing it down. This prevents any sticking.
7. Place the tin into the middle of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. You will know the brownie has baked when you put a knife or skewer down the centre and it comes out clean. Allow the brownie to cool fully in the tin before adding on the cheesecake.

Method (ombre cheesecake)

Cashew nuts: The cashew nuts need to be soaked overnight in water. Just make sure the water is covering the nuts! This makes them softer, which creates a grain-free and smooth cheesecake filling. 

1. Place the chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Fill a small saucepan 1/4 with water and place over the hob on a low / medium heat. Place the bowl on-top to create a bain-marie. Melt the chocolate.
2. Drain the cashew nuts from the water and place them into a food processor/blender along with the dairy-free cream cheese, coconut cream and icing sugar. Whizz up on high speed for around 5 minutes until smooth. Add some more coconut cream if needed. I use a ‘Kitchenaid Powerplus blender’. It’s best to use a high-speed blender if possible as the mixture is quite thick, and you want it as smooth as possible. You might need to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides a few times to make sure everything is incorporated.
3. Divide the mixture into 3 separate bowls.
4. Leave the first bowl plain, to the second bowl, whisk in a little bit of the melted chocolate and add a little more melted chocolate to the third bowl. Each bowl should vary in colour from lighter to dark. TIP: When you add the chocolate into the cheesecake mixture, the chocolate might set. If this happens, transfer the cheesecake back into the blender and whizz up each colour separately until you the cheesecake filling is smooth.
5. To assemble the cheesecake, slowly pour the darkest cheesecake over the base and level out with the back of a spoon or off-set spatula. Place into the freezer for 1-2 hours until slightly firm, then pour on the second darkest shade. Repeat until you’ve used up all of the cheesecake colours, going from dark to light. Watch me make this cheesecake here.
6. Place into the fridge overnight to set. Alternately, place into the freezer overnight to set, then place into the fridge for a few hours.
7. Once set, remove from the fridge, and push out the cheesecake (as the base is loose bottomed) and place on a serving plate or board.
8. Optional: Decorate the cheesecake with some whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle, and pipe a swirl of whipped cream around the top edge of the cheesecake. Decorate with a sprinkling of Whittard Cookies and Cream Hot Chocolate Powder and cookies and cream biscuits. 
9. TIP: To create smooth, clean cuts / slices of cheesecake, heat a large, sharp knife in a bowl of hot water or with a kitchen blow torch. Carefully slice the cheesecake with the hot knife and and serve.