Spooky Halloween Cheesecake
This spooky vanilla-flavoured vegan Halloween cheesecake is the ideal way to round off any Halloween party with its delicate cobweb-like black swirls. Serve it with a splatter of blood-red raspberry coulis if you’re feeling particularly ghoulish!
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This spooky vegan cheesecake is the ultimate Halloween dessert, combining the creaminess of coconut with swirls of eerie marbling that’s blacker than our souls!
It’s a delightful and spine-tingling treat that will enchant your Halloween gathering with its frightfully delicious flavour.
To take this spooky vegan cheesecake to the next level this Halloween, serve it with a drizzle of raspberry coulis. The deep red colour will add a blood-like element, perfect for Halloween.
What is coconut cream?
A combination of full-fat coconut milk and coconut cream are the magic ingredients that make the cheesecake full so thick and creamy.
Coconut cream is the thick part of coconut milk, separated from the watery component, and is ideal for lending richness to desserts. You can purchase it on its own in cans from the supermarket, or alternatively you can scoop the fatty layer off the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk, being careful to avoid adding the excess coconut milk, instead.
Canned coconut milk contains both cream and the liquid part, offering a creamy, dairy-free alternative to cream cheese.
What is agar agar and how do I use it?
To ensure the cheesecake sets firmly, we’ve used agar agar flakes to bind the ingredients together.
Agar agar, often simply referred to as agar, is a plant-based gelatin substitute derived from seaweed. It is commonly used in vegan cooking and baking as a thickening agent, gelling agent, and stabiliser.
Agar flakes typically need to be soaked in water before use. For every tablespoon of agar flakes, you’ll want to soak them in 3-4 tablespoons of cold water, allowing the flakes to absorb the water for about 10-15 minutes.
After the agar flakes have soaked and softened, transfer them to a saucepan with the rest of the cheesecake filling ingredients and simmer gently. The flakes should dissolve completely into the liquid which can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.
Allow the cheesecake to set properly by refrigerating it for at least 4 hours, or overnight for the best results.
Servings: 10
Rating:
Servings: 10
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
(Servings: 10)
- 25 25 g vegan-friendly digestive biscuits
- 10 10 g dairy-free butter, melted
- 0.05 0.05 tsp sea salt flakes
- 0.2 0.2 x 400g tins full fat coconut milk
- 0.1 0.1 x 400ml tin coconut cream
- 6 6 ml maple syrup
- 0.2 0.2 tsp vanilla extrace
- 0.4 0.4 Tbsp agar agar flakes
Method
- Break the biscuits into a food processor and pulse to a fine crumb. Add the melted dairy-free butter and sea salt and process until combined. Tip this mixture into a 23cm springform tin and press down evenly with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate until needed.
- Mix the coconut milk and cream, maple syrup, vanilla and agar together in a pan. Gently heat, stirring, until it reaches boiling point. Simmer for 5 minutes to activate the agar. Remove from the heat allow to cool a little, whisking often to prevent a skin forming.
- When the coconut mixture has cooled slightly, remove 120ml (1⁄2 cup) into a jug and pour the remaining mix onto the cheesecake base. Use the colouring to turn the reserved mix black and drizzle over the cheesecake. Use a skewer to create a marbled effect. Leave to set at room temperature or in the fridge until ready to serve.
Nutritional information per serving (162g): Calories 488, Fat 41g, Saturates 28g, Sugars 11g, Salt 0.64g
Hungry for more treats (and tricks!)? Check out these frighteningly tasty vegan Halloween recipes.
