Method (base)

1. Preheat the oven to 180℃ fan and line a 8” loose base / spring-form round cake tin with grease-proof paper, set aside.
2. Melt the butter in the hob over low heat, or in the microwave in 2 second intervals until fully melted.
3. Add the plain cookies / biscuits into a blender or food processor and blend until fine. Pour the biscuit crumbs into the melted butter and stir together using a wooden spoon or spatula. It should resemble wet sand, and when you press it between your fingers, it should hold its shape.
4. Press the mixture into the lined tin, making sure to compact it using clean hands. You want to press it up the sides of the tin as-well as this will help hold the cheesecake. The more compact it is, the less likely it will crumble. Place into the fridge whilst you make the cheesecake filling.

Method (vanilla cheesecake)

1. Wash, then drain the cashew nuts and place them into a high speed blender along with the cream cheese, silken tofu, sugar and vanilla. Blend on high speed until smooth.
2. Set aside while you make the cake batter.

Method (carrot cake)

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan ‘buttermilk’.
2. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, ground spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well to combine. Add the oil into the ‘buttermilk’ and whisk to combine.
3. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients along with the chopped walnuts and grated carrot and mix just to combine. Fold these together with a spatula to prevent over mixing. 

Assemble the cheesecake

1. Pour 1/3 of the cheesecake mixture into the tin, on the base, then spoon on some of the carrot cake batter. Repeat this until you have used up both carrot cake batter and vanilla cheesecake mixture. 
2. Use a skewer to very gently swirl the batters together (don’t over swirl / mix as we want to see swirls of both when we cut into the cheesecake). Refer to video for example. 
3. Bake the cheesecake in the centre of the pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake turn slightly golden in colour. To check the cheesecake is ready, using oven mitts, gently jiggle the cheesecake. If the cheesecake looks nearly set and only the middle of the cheesecake jiggles slightly, it’s done. If it jiggles too much / looks wet, it needs more time to bake! If at any time the top looks like it’s burning, lay some grease proof paper over the top to prevent the burning / browning.
4. Turn the oven off, prop the door open and leave the cheesecake inside for another 20 minutes. This will prevent the cheesecake from deflating and sinking.
5. Once ready, turn off the oven, open the oven door and leave to sit in the oven with the door open for around 20 minutes. This will help the temperature come down slowly without shock, which can cause cracking.
6. Remove from the oven and place the cheesecake (still in the tin) on a wire rack to cool fully.
7. When the cheesecake is cool, place it into the fridge and allow it to sit in the fridge overnight to fully set. Keep the cheesecake in the tin to help retain the shape.

Method (cream cheese frosting)

1. In a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment or in a medium sized mixing bowl with a hand whisk, add in the dairy-free cream cheese and butter and whip together for 2-5 minutes until light, pale and fluffy.
2. Add in the icing sugar and vanilla and whip until its thick and creamy.
3. Spoon this on the top of the cheesecake, using an off-set spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it over the entire cheesecake.
4. Whip up some dairy-free whipping cream until it holds a peak, transfer into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip nozzle and pipe some bulbs around the top edge of the cheesecake.
5. Finish with a sprinkle of some roughly chopped walnuts and grated carrot for decoration.
6. Use a sharp knife to cut the cheesecake into servings.
7. Serve and enjoy!