The holidays are sweeter with soy and we think these three recipes are the sweetest, yet: 

• Soy Cheesecake with Dried Cranberries, Almonds and White Chocolate
• Soy Chocolate Checkerboard Bombe
• Toffee Bars

Recipes below! 

Soy Cheesecake with Dried Cranberries, Almonds and White Chocolate
Compote
2 apples, such as Gala peeled, cored and cut into 3/4-inch pieces 
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries 
2 tablespoons sugar 
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger 

Cheesecake
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons soybean oil
28 oz. soft silken tofu, drained, cubed
1½ cups sugar
8 oz. soy cream cheese
1/3 cup soymilk
¼ cup soy flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup sliced almonds
¾ cup sweetened dried cranberries
¾ cup good-quality white chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 325 with rack in the center. Place a large baking pan filled with one inch of water on the rack to preheat. Press a large sheet of foil around the base of a 9-inch springform pan with 2-inch high sides. Coat the inside of the pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

Compote-In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

Cheesecake-In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the oil and stir to blend. Pour the crumbs into the prepared springform pan and press evenly over the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the pan; set aside.

In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, blend the tofu, sugar, cream cheese, soy milk, soy flour, and vanilla until smooth. Transfer filling to a large bowl, fold in the almonds, cranberries, and white chocolate morsels, then pour the filling into the crust. Smooth the top and place the springform pan inside the baking pan of water. Bake for 1 hour or until the filling is firm to the touch (do not overbake). Turn the oven off, crack the door open slightly, and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.

To serve, release and remove the sides of the pan then use a thin-bladed knife dipped in hot water to slice the cake into 16 wedges. Serve with cranberry-apple compote.

Yield: 16 servings

Soy Chocolate Checkerboard Bombe
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour                                
2 teaspoons baking powder                               
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup shortening
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla
5 egg whites, room temperature
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup soymilk, plain
1/3 unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon soymilk

Ganache
7 ounces chocolate coating
9 ounces heavy cream
3 ounces white chocolate, melted

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. In a large mixing bowl, add shortening, beat on medium for 30 seconds (to incorporate air). Add 1 2/3 cups sugar and vanilla; beat until combined. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk and soy milk. Beat after each addition just until combined.

In another medium mixing bowl, add egg whites, beat on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating on medium to high, until stiff peaks form. Gently fold half of the egg whites into batter mixture. Fold in the remaining egg whites into same mixture. Spoon half of batter (approx. 3 ¼ cups) into a bowl. Sift cocoa powder over remaining batter. Stir in the tablespoon of milk.

For bombe shaped cakes, you will need 6 ounce dome silicone molds. Place batter into 2 different piping bags. Start by piping chocolate batter into the center of the mold. Next, pipe the white cake batter around the chocolate. Repeat this process on the next layer, but reverse the colors (white on top of previous chocolate layer and chocolate on top of the previous white layer). Limit yourself to 2 layers or the cake will rise above the dome mold.

Bake in 350˚F convection oven* for approximately 12 minutes or until it bounces back after you touch it (spongy). Cool. Trim bottoms off bombes so they are able to lay flat, set aside. To make ganache, in a medium bowl add coating chocolate, place over a pan of boiling water, stir until melted.

Remove from heat. Fold in heavy cream. Cool slightly. Coat bombes with ganache. Drizzle with melted white chocolate.

Yield: 16 bombes

Conventional oven, bake at 375˚ for 12-15 minutes.

Toffee Bars
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup soy flour
1-ounce bar milk chocolate, melted
¾ cup chopped soy nuts

Preheat oven to 325°F. In large mixing bowl, cream butter until light. Add sugar, egg yolk, vanilla; beat until well blended. Add all-purpose flour and soy flour, mix well. Spread evenly in a lightly greased 10x15x2 inch pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes. (Watch carefully because cookies brown quickly.) Let cool for about 5 minutes. Spread with melted chocolate. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

Yield: approximately 2 ½ dozen