full recipe – vegan tiramisu

This cheat’s tiramisu is healthier, higher in protein and, of course, plant-based. It is by no means traditional, but it requires less time and effort and still tastes incredible.

INGREDIENTS
FOR CAKE
4 Medjool dates, pitted
2 cups (240 g) oat flour
1 cup (120 g) almond meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1¼ cup (310 ml) soy milk
¼ cup (60 ml) rice malt syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR CREAM
½ cup (75 g) raw cashews
1 cup (240 g) coconut yoghurt
1/3 cup (40 g) vanilla protein powder 2 tablespoons rice malt syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TO ASSEMBLE
1 cup (250 ml) strong black coffee 2 teaspoons cacao powder, for dusting

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 175°C and line a 20.5 cm square cake tin with baking paper.

2. To make the cake, soak the dates in boiling water for five minutes, then drain and mash. Place the oat flour, almond meal, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a large bowl and mix well.

3. Add the dates, soy milk, rice malt syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until thick and well combined. The mixture should be scoopable but not runny. Add a dash more oat milk if too thick and a touch more oats if too runny. Pour into the baking tray and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

4. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool then slice into 12 rectangles.

5. Meanwhile, for the cream, soak the cashews in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain. Place the coconut yoghurt, vanilla protein powder, rice malt syrup, vanilla extract and the cashews into a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.

6. To assemble the tiramisu, dip half of the cake rectangles into the coffee and gently turn a few times to soak. Lay over the base of a rectangular dish (see tip) and press down softly to push to the edges. Spread half the cream over. Repeat with the remaining cake and cream. Set in the fridge for three hours.

7. Remove from the fridge, dust with cacao powder, slice and serve.

TIP: I used a 2L, 24 cm × 12 cm dish to layer the tiramisu. For best results, I recommend using a similar sized container.