Description
This vegan cherry strudel has beautifully thin layers of dough, that’s paired perfectly with creamy vegan cream cheese and sour cherry filling. A dessert that’s super easy to make and even easier to eat!
Ingredients
- 150g / 5.29 ounces firm tofu, cut into cubes
- 150g / 5.29 ounces vegan cream cheese* (I used Tofutti)
- Zest of one small lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons raw cane sugar* (or confectioners / icing sugar)
- 3 tablespoons aquafaba,* lightly whisked
- 670g / 1.48 pound jar Morello cherries
- 4 tablespoons unsalted vegan butter, melted
- 7 sheets phyllo / filo pastry
- 2 tablespoons bread crumbs*
- Confectioners / icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
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Strain the jar of cherries and set it aside to continue to drain excess liquid.
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Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celcius (390 degrees Fahrenheit) fan-forced. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
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Place the tofu, vegan cream cheese, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and sugar in a food processor* and process until smooth. This will take about 1-2 minutes.
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Add in the whipped aquafaba and blend for another 30 seconds. Set aside.
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Layer pastry sheets, brushing melted butter in between each layer. Brush the top layer with butter and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over evenly. Use your fingers to do so if necessary.
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Spoon the cream cheese mixture along one long end of the pastry, leaving a 5cm / 2-inch border on three sides.
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Give the cherries a press down over the sieve with the back of a spoon to press out any excess juice and spoon the cherries over the cream cheese filling.
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Fold in the sides of the pastry, then carefully roll into a log shape- brushing the edges of the pastry with melted vegan butter to stick it down. You may need to tighten the filling by pulling it towards you with the pastry like you would a burrito to get a nice tight log.
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Lift onto prepared tray, seam side down. Brush it all over with the remaining butter.
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Bake at 200 degrees Celcius (390 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180 degrees Celcius (355 degrees Fahrenheit) and bake for a further 5 minutes or until golden brown.
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Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes before dusting with sugar.
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Cut it with a small serrated knife and serve.
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To achieve a firm filling, I like to place mine in the refrigerator for a couple of hours after it has completely cooled. This step is not necessary.
Notes
Vegan cream cheese: I used Toffuti for all the tests, so I’m unsure how other vegan cream cheese brands will perform. If you try it with any others, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Sugar: The sugar used in this recipe isn’t too important. If you want a firmer filling, use confectioners / icing sugar. Please also make sure to use organic sugar if you’re in the US; otherwise, it most likely isn’t vegan.
Aquafaba: This is just the chickpea water in a can of chickpeas. Strain 3 tablespoons of it from a can of chickpeas and set the rest aside to use for something else. I have plenty of recipes using chickpeas on this website. To learn more about aquafaba, you can do so here.
Bread crumbs: Please check the ingredients of the bread crumbs that you use to make sure that they are vegan.
Food processor: If you don’t have a food processor, crumb the tofu with your fingers into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients and beat with an electric mixer for the same amount of time.
Unbaked strudel can be prepared several hours ahead and refrigerated until you’re ready to bake it.
See tips earlier in the post to get the best results.
- Diet: Vegan
