Having thoroughly enjoyed a good number of cups of Brewed Chocolate since writing the review, it was only a matter of time before it became an ingredient in one of my desserts. Straddling the line between coffee and chocolate, it wasn’t hard to find complimentary flavors to pair with it… Namely, chocolate and coffee!
Letting the brewed chocolate shine in a simple cheesecake base, it would have been easy enough to make it like a traditional dessert, but after witnessing so many inspiring plated works of art being assembled, I simply couldn’t contain my desire to follow suit.
The “crust” is sprinkled on the side in the form of cocoa-coffee soil, veganized from this recipe just by using margarine instead of butter. A few drops of clear caramel sauce complete the plate, while the cheesecake itself is topped with whipped soy cream and a broken chocolate mendiant with cacao nibs. Pretty simple still, but a whole lot more fun than just a plain old cheesecake, if you ask me!
Of course, with extra cheesecake, I decided to play around with a second presentation, much more like an individual trifle. The soil is scooped into the bottom of a glass, which is then topped by smaller cubes of cheesecake, and then a whole mendiant. This is one that I can definitely see making again for a larger crowd, as it’s just as much work as making regular old parfaits.
You could certainly bake the crust into the bottom if you’d prefer, but this is one recipe that is delicious however you serve it. It only makes a very small amount, so if you’re planning on having company, I would suggest doubling the recipe and baking it in an 8 x 8 pan instead.
Brewed Chocolate Cheesecake
1 8-Ounce Package Vegan “Cream Cheese”
1/4 Cup Vegan “Sour Cream”, or Pureed Extra-Firm Silken Tofu
1/3 Cup Brewed Chocolate
1 Tablespoon Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.
Begin by beating the “cream cheese” in your stand mixer until soft and creamy. Add in all of the other ingredients, and mix thoroughly until completely smooth and homogeneous. Pour the cheesecake mixture into your prepared pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until set around the edges but still wobbly in the center when tapped. Let the cheesecake cool completely in the pan, and then chill, covered, for at least 2 hours until cold all the way through. Cut into squares or cubes and serve as desired.