Cheesecake might be the last thing that someone might expect to be dairy-free, because it traditionally is made with milk, cream cheese and eggs. Dairy-free cheesecake is made without the ingredients that come from animal milk. This doesn't necessarily mean that the cheesecake doesn't include cream cheese, it only means that the cream cheese that is used will be dairy-free as well.
Many popular foods that are often made with dairy can also be made with non-dairy ingredients. Foods such as dairy-free cheesecake and other dairy-free desserts have become more common to fit the desires of people who want to or need to avoid dairy products, such as people who are lactose intolerant or who are following a vegan diet. Lactose intolerance is when the body is unable to digest lactose, a certain kind of sugar that is found in dairy products. A vegan diet requires a food regimen that excludes any food that comes from animals, including milk and cheese.
A dairy-free cheesecake can be made using ingredients such as drained tofu, sugar, dairy-free cream cheese, eggs and vanilla. The crust can be a normal crust or a gluten-free crust. This type of dairy-free cheesecake will not work for vegans because it has eggs, but it will not promote any symptoms of lactose intolerance — such as bloating, cramps, diarrhea, gas and nausea — in people who suffer from that condition. Tofu is used as a thickening agent for the cheesecake and is what provides the texture that traditional cheesecake has.
Dairy-free cheesecake is one of the many deserts that will work for people who are lactose intolerant. These types of foods have gained in popularity, partly because the number of people who have been diagnosed with lactose intolerance has increased. With the experimentation of various dairy-free cheesecake recipes and the continued practice of cooking lactose-free foods, people who are lactose intolerant can discover delicious alternatives to the foods they could not eat before, without experiencing discomfort.