This recipe for Brownie-Bottom Peanut Butter Cheesecake is different from the previous recipe I posted for Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake. The previous recipe calls for four tubs of expensive vegan cream cheese. This recipe, from vegan baking gurus Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero's Vegan Pie in the Sky, uses silken tofu, peanut butter, and banana instead. Using a recipe that doesn't require vegan cream cheese makes it less expensive to make, and it's easier to obtain the ingredients. My local health food store sells Mori-Nu firm silken tofu, the tofu of choice for baked goods.
The only change I made from the book's recipe was that I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour instead of regular flour. If you have an Ocean State Job Lot near you, they sell Bob's products at a great price.
When I make this recipe a second time, I think I'll use a mixture of gluten-free flours. I find that many gluten-free baking flours taste slightly bitter in the final product, but blending several flours together, such as rice flour and tapioca flour, lessens that bitter flavor.
I will also use a flat springform pan next time. The springform pan I had on hand was circular with a hole in the middle. I think the hole caused the inner sides of the cake to sink slightly.
The cheesecake filling itself was great. I used a food processor to blend the ingredients, and the result was smooth and creamy. The cake does need to chill for several hours before serving. I chilled it overnight in the refrigerator. The cake holds up well when cold: you can cut a slice and it won't fall apart.
Happy Baking!
