Skip to main content

ellie-gibbs
26th August 2015

Whipped Coffee Coconut Vegan Cheesecake with Cinnamon Crust

Try this vegan alternative to cheesecake using coconut cream and a nutty oat base
Categories:
TLDR

That title looks so delicious I could eat it. But instead I’ve been eating the real-life version of it, by the spoonful.

This morning began innocently with a plan to replenish my jar of homemade date & fig jam. As those soaked fruits whizzed round the food processor a perfectly ripe banana caught my eye, so I threw that in. Also, I had some leftover coconut cream, in it went. Before I knew it I was spooning heaped tablespoons of peanut butter into the mix and sprinkling maldon sea salt in spontaneous dessert-induced elation.

Resisting the urge to pour the whole thing into my mouth, I refrigerated and swirled in a half teaspoon of azera coffee. I also had to brush my teeth as a kind of safeguard for the dessert’s existence.

But what would I use as a crust? It was refined-sugar free and vegan thus far, so biscuits and butter were out of the question. Hmm. Of course! The oven pinged. I’d make a baked oatmeal base.

I began by toasting my oat, spelt and rye mix in a saucepan, adding pulsed hazelnuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon. The kitchen smelled like heaven. I added water straight from the tap and the oats instantly softened and turned into a porridge-like consistency (definitely a new way to make my beloved breakfast). I emptied the goods into a lined baking tray and in it went to the oven at 150°.

Then I started writing this, so I had better go back and check it.

Deciding that a third filling layer of dark chocolate would complete the equation, I spooned another dollop of coconut cream into a bowl with some cocoa powder, plain chocolate chips and walnut oil. I warmed for 30 seconds and poured onto my freshly baked oat-nut base, leaving to cool while I went for coffee with a friend (conversation centred mostly around the cheesecake).

An hour or two later, I poured the glorious coconut-coffee mix into the tin and scattered some extra fine-ground coffee on top for good luck. I then made room for my Vegecake in the freezer, where it will now be kept until myself or another human of refined tastebuds delights to have a slice.

Ingredients:

Buttery biscuit base

– 4 heaped tbsps oats or oat mix (spelt, rye, flaked quinoa, buckwheat)

– 1/2 tsp cinnamon

– Handful hazelnuts and walnuts, pulsed or finely chopped

– Water

Toast the oats in a saucepan with the cinnamon until smeling fragrant and warm, add the nuts and cover with water straight from the tap.

Fill saucepan about two inches deep and stir to develop a gooey and sticky mixture, not too thin but thick enough so that the oats are not completely solid and have water to absorb.

Press into a lined round baking tin and bake until crisp in a 180° oven. About 20 minutes, adding water if necessary to make the oats soft with a little crunch.

Chocolate layer

– 2 tbsps coconut cream

– Handful plain chocolate chips

– Tsp cocoa powder

– Tsp walnut/any oil

Mix the ingredients in 20-second bursts in the microwave until melted and thick. Spoon onto the baked base and let cool whilst preparing the filling.

Creamy filling

– Handful dates/figs, soaked in hot water

– 1 can coconut cream

– Mashed banana

– 2 heaped tbsp peanut butter

– A sprinkle of sea salt

– 1/2 tsp finely ground coffee

Pulse the dates in a food processor until blended into a jam-like consistency, then add all other ingredients to make a delicious light-as-air faux-cheesecake topping.

Sprinkle some extra coffee on top and swirl over the previous two layers. Freeze and transfer to the refrigerator when you’re ready to serve. I prefer this just slightly cooler than fridge temperature; cold, but still spoonable and creamy.


More Coverage

Nearly half of student gamblers are gambling more than they can afford

The majority of students (60%) had gambled in the past 12 months, although this was a decrease from last year (71%) 

Pro-Palestinian student groups occupy Simon Building in protest against University

Manchester Leftist Action have occupied the Simon Building to protest alleged University connections with Israel, along with students from UoM Rent Strike and Youth Front for Palestine

Nominations for Students’ Union Awards 2024 now open

Students can nominate themselves or others for the awards, which fall into four separate categories, with each award having its own awards night

UNiDAYS announce opening of Student Woman of the Year competition

The UNiDAYS-run competition aims to support female students who are making a difference and offers a £10,000 first prize for entrepreneurial initiatives