Perfect during the winter holidays (or anytime, really!), this cheesecake is a fun dairy-free variation on the classic. Feel free to use dairy-free dark chocolate chunks or shavings in place of the chips, and, if you happen to have a few fresh mint leaves around, don't hesitate to garnish your beautiful creation!
For vegans or those who allergic to both dairy and eggs: feel free to replace the egg with your favorite egg replacer. I've used dry egg replacers in this recipe (but note that I increase the substitute to the equivalent of 4 eggs) and the cakes have come out lovely.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Yield: 1 9" cheesecake
Ingredients:
- For the Crust:
- 1 ¾ cup dairy-free graham cracker crumbs, from store-bought or homemade dairy-free graham crackers
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 6 T. dairy-free soy margarine, melted
- For the Filling:
- 3 8-ounce tubs dairy-free cream cheese, such as Tofutti
- 1 ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (vegans can use the equivalent of 4 eggs of egg replacer)
- 1 ½ t. peppermint extract
- 1 cup dairy-free sour cream, such as Tofutti's Sour Supreme
- 3-4 drops green food coloring, or as desired (optional)
- 1 ½ cups dark dairy-free chocolate chips
- For the Topping:
- 1 Recipe Dark Chocolate Ganache
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9” springform pan with dairy-free soy margarine. Set aside.
2. Prepare the crust. In a small mixing bowl, combine the dairy-free graham cracker crumbs with the sugar until well combined. Add the melted dairy-free soy margarine and mix until evenly combined. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and about 2 inches up the sides of the pan. Set aside.
3. Prepare the filling. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer set at a slow speed setting, beat the dairy-free cream cheese with the sugar until well blended. Add the eggs, one at a time (or the egg replacer, if using), beating well with each addition. Add the peppermint extract, sour cream and green food coloring, mixing until the mixture is smooth and evenly colored. (Feel free to add more or less green food coloring to suit your preference.)
4. Mix in 1 cup of the chocolate chips until evenly distributed, and then pour the filling into the prepared crust. Top the cake with the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Place the cake in the center of the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the cake is set. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly (I open mine just a few inches), and leave the cake in the oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour longer. (This will ensure that your cake bakes evenly but does not burn the crust.) Remove the cake from the oven and carefully run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Allow cake to cool completely in the pan, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
4. Remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a serving platter. Prepare the Dark Chocolate Ganache according to the recipe and allow the ganache to cool for about 5 minutes. Pour the ganache on top of the cake, either in decorative swirls or in an even coating (this is also a great way to hide any "cracks" that may have happened during baking!). Return the cake to the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours to overnight. Serve cold.
Cook's Note:
- If you find that you're running low on time, or if you just want something a tad healthier than ganache topping your cake, feel free to serve your dairy-free cheesecake with a drizzle of Dairy-Free Chocolate Syrup. It takes mere seconds to prepare, but will add that extra chocolate layer to finish the cake.
