Giving up cheese and all dairy products does not mean you have to give up fabulous desserts.  Try this rich, New York style cheesecake that’s not only vegan but gluten-free. No one will know it’s dairy-free and you may even fool yourself.

Crust
1 1/2 cups white rice flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/3 cup sugar (evaporated cane juice)
1 ½ tsp Ener-G egg replacer in 4 tablespoons water
1/2 cup vegan margarine, softened

Filling
2 1/2 pounds vegan cream cheese, five 8 oz containers, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar (evaporated cane juice)
3 tablespoons tapioca flour
5 tablespoons ground flax seeds (yellow flax seeds will blend in with the batter, brown flax seeds will be more visible, as in photo)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease an 8 or 9 inch diameter springform cakepan.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and xanthan gum.
4. In a small bowl mix egg replacer with water, cut in vegan margarine.
4. Add to the dry mixture creating a dough. Knead the dough, which will be slightly dry. Pack the dough together and press evenly on the bottom of the pan. Prick the dough with a fork.
5. Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
6. In a small bowl, mix flax seed, coconut milk, vanilla and lemon zest. Mix in vegan butter.
7. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, tapioca, flax seed mixture and mix thoroughly.
8. Pour filling over crust and bake for 40 minutes. Reduce temperature to 200 degrees F and continue to bake for 20 minutes. Turn oven off leaving cake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
9. Chill overnight.
10. When ready to serve, remove from springform pan and slice.