Key Lime
The vegan culinary world has certainly improved in the last ten years, especially in terms of easily accessed grocery products without animal ingredients. When Daiya Foods out of Vancouver, B.C. started making their cheese shreds commercially available in 2009, it felt like the earth shifted slightly: vegan and dairy-free consumers, many of whom had long since given up on the idea of a decent plant-based cheese, suddenly had something that could be used just like dairy cheese. It consistently melted without any sorcery involved! It didn’t taste like old socks dipped in plastic! As reluctant as I am to use the hackneyed phrase ‘game-changer’, Daiya was, for many of us, just that. Suddenly we could have cheesy things just like regular people again: pizza, calzones, mostaccioli. It seems like for the spread of vegan food options, there is a before Daiya and an after Daiya. I am glad that we are on this side of that timeline now.
Bringing their same savvy to the world of dairy-free desserts, Daiya has just released a vegan line of “cheezecakes”: New York, Strawberry, Chocolate and Key Lime, free of palm oil, gluten and soy. These are definitely an indulgence with four slices per cheesecake at approximately 360 calories per slice, but unlike most commercial cheesecakes there is no trans fat or cholesterol. With a base of dessicated coconut (it somehow does not taste coconut-y), the Daiya version manages to hit all the taste and texture taste memories I have of traditional cheesecake without being too airy, like many ones that are made with tofu, or too heavy and dense, like many that are based with cashews.
Chocolate
Daiya Foods recently had their #SayCheezecake launch party in Chicago and I was lucky to be able to attend. These cheesecakes were beautifully set up at different stations with champagne, wine and other drinks, as well as some delicious appetizers featuring their signature cheeses, like mini-quinoa burger patties and pizzas. I checked in with some friends and then it was time to get busy and visit the stations. I promised this review to the good people of HappyCow, so I took one (or four) for the team.
The first flavor I tried was New York. Just like the classic dessert that is the gateway drug for many unabashed cheesecake fiends, the New York cheesecake had a rich, comforting vanilla essence that lingers but does not overpower, as well as the exact texture – luxurious, silky, creamy – that I remember. (The texture is the same perfection in all the cheesecakes.) The crust manages to taste like a classic graham cracker crust despite being gluten-free. I noticed the crust more in the New York one, perhaps because there weren’t many more competing flavors.
The next flavor I tried was Strawberry. I happen to be the random weirdo who does not like strawberries, but this one I liked. The strawberry flavor was not overwhelming to me but it did definitely taste of it. This was the only one I didn’t want more of but that has to do with my own taste preferences rather than anything flawed with the cheesecake. If you like strawberries, you will probably flip over this one.
Strawberry
The third sample I tried was Key Lime. It’s my opinion that Key lime is just not utilized enough as a flavor so I was eager to try this and it did not disappoint. That is an understatement. Perfectly tangy, sweet and luscious, this cheesecake was summer in a beach house with Jimmy Buffet playing in the background all on a teeny-tiny plate. Ahh, take me away. The Key Lime was my favorite so far but the next one was a flavor that I historically have no self-control over so I held off on declaring any victories yet…
The final flavor that I tried was Chocolate. I am powerless to chocolate and its many charms. I have to say, again, it did not disappoint. Rich and indulgent without being heavy, the chocolate was a blissfully velvety pleasure. Compared to the others, though, the chocolate flavor was not too prominent, which I suppose those on the fence about chocolate might prefer but I was kind of missing an intensity of flavor. (I could have also been cheesecaked-out, which may actually be a medical thing.) It was still very good. It’s just that they set the bar rather high with all their cheesecake flavors. (Speaking of setting a high bar, I’d love it if Daiya would transition to slavery-free cocoa powder for their chocolate cheesecake.) (http://www.foodispower.org/slavery-chocolate)
The suggested retail is $8.99 – $9.99, which seems like a very reasonable price for four slices of sublime cheesecake. Each can be further embellished without too much effort with dairy-free whipped cream, fruit or fruit sauces, chocolate shavings or more, but they are also perfectly delicious just on their own. This would be a great party dessert or gift for a party host. I would imagine that even those who still eat dairy-based cheesecake would be not only fooled but impressed by this new line from Daiya Foods. These cheesecakes are truly an excellent addition for those seeking indulgences that are free of animal products, without any compromise to flavor or texture. I highly recommend them.
About the author: Marla Rose is a mother, writer and longtime vegan based in the Chicago area. She is co-founder of VeganStreet.com and Chicago VeganMania.
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