Description
This Ube Cheesecake combines the nutty sweetness of ube with the luscious, creamy texture of a classic cheesecake. Top with vegan whipped cream, toasted coconut, and a drizzle of sweet ube sauce, then dig in!
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 15 sheets (237g or about 1¾ cup) vegan graham crackers
- 5 tablespoons vegan butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
Cheesecake Filling
- 1 1/4 cup vegan heavy cream
- 16 oz vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups mashed ube
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ube extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Ube Coconut Drizzle
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1–2 tablespoons coconut milk, as needed to thin
- ½ teaspoon ube extract
Toasted Coconut Flakes
- ½ cup coconut flakes
Whipped Cream
- ½ cup vegan heavy cream
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
Equipment
- Large cup food processor
- 9” or 10” Springform pan
- Large mixing bowls (2)
- Electric handheld mixers
- Plastic wrap or foil
- Offset spatula
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- If baking, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add ingredients to the food processor. Add the graham crackers to a food processor and process until the sheets are broken into small crumbs. Add the melted vegan butter and a pinch of salt and pulse until combined. The mixture should resemble wet sand.
- Press into a 9” springform pan. Use your hands and/or a flat-bottomed glass to press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Bake or chill. If baking, transfer the springform pan to the oven for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool for at least 30 minutes before filling. Alternatively, set the crust in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before filling for a completely no-bake cheesecake.
Prepare the Filling
- Whip the heavy cream into stiff peaks. Add the cold, vegan heavy whipping cream to a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to whip the cream to stiff peaks for about 3-4 minutes. Refrigerate the bowl while you prepare the rest of the filling.
- Cream the cream cheese. In a separate large bowl, add the vegan cream cheese. Use your hand mixer to beat until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add in the mashed ube and mix well. Then, add in the powdered sugar, lemon juice, ube extract, and salt and mix until uniform.
- Fold in the whipped cream. Add the whipped cream and fold everything together using a spatula until uniform, trying carefully not to deflate the filling mixture.
Assemble the Pie
- Add the filling to the crust. Pour the prepared ube filling into the graham cracker crust and smooth it out using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Chill for at least 8 hours. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and place in the fridge to set for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Prepare Toppings and Serve
- Ube coconut drizzle. In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, ube extract, and enough coconut milk to reach the desired consistency for drizzling.
- Toast the coconut flakes. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and evenly spread the coconut flakes onto a lined baking sheet. Bake coconut for about 3 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden brown. Stir and bake for an additional 2-3 more minutes or until golden brown. Store coconut in the fridge for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container.
- Vegan whipped cream. Before serving, prepare the whipped cream by adding the vegan heavy cream and sugar to a large bowl and whip to soft peaks.
- Serve. Once the cheesecake has chilled, top with whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes. Serve each slice with the ube coconut drizzle and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: To keep leftover cheesecake fresh, store it in an airtight container or tightly cover it with plastic wrap for up to one week in the refrigerator.
- Ube Coconut Drizzle: We prefer to drizzle the slices individually when serving. When you drizzle the whole pie, the drizzle settles and spreads into the whipped cream, which is fine but not as aesthetically pleasing.
- Coconut flakes: We recommend using sweetened coconut flakes for the best sweet and toasted ones. They’ll caramelize better than unsweetened coconut flakes.
- Prep Time: 8 hours 22 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake Option
- Cuisine: Filipino