Line the bottom and sides of a 7" or 8" cake tin (with removable base) with some parchment paper.
Add the cookies and sea salt to your food processor and blitz for about 30 seconds until evenly finely ground. Add in the vegan butter and blend again until evenly combined and the mixture sticks together between your fingers. Press the cookie mixture into the base of the cake tin, and smooth it out with a ¼ cup measure or flat bottomed glass, making sure it is compact. Set aside in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
Filling
Add all of the other filling ingredients to a high-speed blender and blitz for several minutes until smooth and creamy with no lumps. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and place back in the freezer to set for a minimum of 4 hours (or overnight if preferred).
Garnish
Once set, remove the cake from the tin whilst frozen. Allow it to defrost at room temperature for about an hour.
Meanwhile, add the biscoff spread to a saucepan and warm over low heat for a couple of minutes until melted. Be sure to stir constantly to prevent it from burning to the pan. Pour the melted biscoff spread on top of the cake and use a spoon to swirl it around the top of the cheesecake before it sets.
Top with full and crushed lotus biscoff cookies. Use a hot wet sharp knife to slice the cheesecake into portions before serving.
Storage instructions
Place the cheesecake in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to a couple of months. I recommend first slicing the cheesecake into individual portions so that you can defrost them as needed. Then just allow them to sit at room temperature for an hour before serving.
Notes
Soaked cashews: soak the cashews in water for 4 hours, rinse and drain. You can also quick soak your cashews by soaking them in boiling water for one hour.
To make the lotus biscuit crustwithout a food processor, simply place the cookies into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to bash them into fine crumbs. Then melt the vegan butter on the hob or in the microwave. Mix together the melted butter and cookie crumbs in a bowl. Press the crust into the prepared cake pan and chill to set it before adding the filling.
Using a springform pan if you have one, makes it easier to remove the cheesecake once set.
Remove the cheesecake from the mold whilst frozen. This helps to get nice clean edges and prevents the filling from sticking to the pan. If you're finding it difficult to remove the cheesecake, use a warm wet cloth around the outside edges of the cake tin.
Slice the cheesecake using a heated sharp knife for clean cuts.
You can set the cheesecake in the fridge overnight instead of freezing it. I recommend lining the edges of the cake tin with some parchment paper first.