Gluten & dairy-free chocolate cheesecake
This is a new and improved dairy-free version of my gluten-free chocolate cheesecake. This one has more filling and looks more impressive on the table. It’s lighter and silkier, too. If you’d like to use the old recipe, you’ll find it here.
Notes
- You’ll hopefully be able to find coconut yoghurt at your local supermarket by now – ask them. If not, there’s a perfectly good substitute using coconut cream included too, which I’ve used often.
- Some quality dark chocolates (50% cocoa solids and higher) are dairy-free – Whittaker’s is one of them.
- You can leave the egg whites out if you like – it’s just there to make the filling lighter.
- If you’re OK with dairy, instead of the coconut cream/yoghurt, use 500g of regular cream cheese. Then instead of folding in the egg white at the end, fold in one cup of cream that’s been whipped.
- If you have access to dairy-free cream cheese, you can use this instead of the coconut yoghurt.
Ingredients
Base
1 cup cashew nuts (raw or roasted)
1 cup ground almonds (almond meal)
1 cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup coconut oil, softened or melted
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
½ tsp salt (if the nuts aren’t salted)
Filling
400g dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped (see notes above)
1 ¼ cups coconut yoghurt (or use 800ml full coconut cream – choose one without stabiliser/emulsifier in it, so the cream can separate – I use Ayam or Trade Aid)
1 x 400g can coconut cream
1 large ripe avocado
¼ cup coconut oil (cold pressed/virgin if you can find it)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt
2 free-range egg whites (optional – to add lightness)
Method
If you cannot find coconut yoghurt and are using coconut cream – the night before or 3 hours before you make the cheesecake, put the tins of coconut cream in the fridge. This will separate the cream from the water. Remove from the fridge then open them upside down – you should see a grey watery liquid sitting on top. Pour that out, leaving the firm coconut cream behind. Use this cream in place of the coconut yoghurt.
Line the bottom of a 23-25cm diameter springform tin with baking paper.
In a food processor, process all the crumb ingredients finely. (I find tipping the processor up on its side a little so it’s on an angle helps it all mix up better and not stick to the sides).
Press the crumb into the bottom of the tin in an even layer, fairly firmly. Pop in the fridge.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl sitting over a pot of simmering water (not touching the water), until just melted, stirring every now and then. (Or, you can microwave it in a glass or ceramic bowl on high for 1 ½ minutes, stirring well until smooth.) Let the chocolate sit for 15 minutes until it’s cooled a bit.
Add the coconut yoghurt (or the chilled coconut cream from above) to a food processor. Add the extra whole (un-seperated) tin of coconut cream, avocado flesh, coconut oil, vanilla and salt. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides.
A third at a time, stir the chocolate mixture into the coconut cream.
Lastly, if using, add the egg whites to a clean bowl. Wash the beater if you need to, then beat the egg whites until soft peaks firm. Immediately fold 1/4 cup of the egg white through the chocolate mixture to aerate it, then fold the rest of it through until well combined.
Scrape the mixture on top of the cheesecake base, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.
Just before serving, warm the outside of the tin with a hot cloth, then undo the spring and gently move to a serving plate. Decorate with loads of fresh chopped berries and dust with icing sugar if you like.
I made this for our family dessert for Christmas, and it was a real treat! We are new to having some diet requirements and it really did tick all the boxes!
Wonderful x
Hi Chelsea, I’ve made two of these, however due to illness we have had to postpone our Christmas get together this year. Will these freeze?
Mine was a fail. As suggested by a friend I used 4 pkts of 90% choc. Which was way too much. She now tells me she used 1 pkt! I also used coconut yoghurt instead of the cream cheese. Today I am going to beat it up again with 1 or 2 packets of cream cheese.
I’m super excited you’ve shared this for Christmas as I haven’t made it before. Angel Food make a fantastic df cream cheese so I’m very excited to try this on my extended family. Don’t think I’ll mention its df and gf ;-)
Can I substitute the chocolate for berries?
If so how?
Looks good! I’m half way through making this but just had a thought about the sweetness….did you all find it sweet enough? Or if you added sweetener what did you use?
Hi Chelsea, just made this did half the recipe (filling) as I’d prepped the wrong dish. However, that means I have half the ingredients left and not sure the yogurt will keep till 18th Jan. So if I made another one the same size could I freeze it till I need it.
I am also someone who hated choc puss and cake but I tasted the filling an OMG I loved it. I am making it for a dairy/ GF non soya allergic person. I made an Orange cake and she was able to eat that and I saw she had a jar of cashew butter which she had for brekkie with bananas so I’m sure the cashews will be fine and she loves avo’s it’s mainly the freeze but I’m after.
HI Chelsea,
I am allergic to buts so can’t use almond meal – what would be an alternative?
thanks Nikki
NUTS! not buts!! Oh dear :-(
Just wondering if this could be frozen for a few days? How long would this last in the fridge? Have made one,but due to family tummy bugs our Chistmas has been postponed!
Can you freeze this? Just wanting to make a few days before needing it. Thanks so much
Kaye
Yes, wrap well and defrost overnight x
Hi Chelsea, going to attempt to make this cheesecake for Christmas day and just wanted to check I am adjusting the recipe correctly. We are all fine with dairy so I thought I would substitute the egg whites with 1 cup of whipped cream and swap both the coconut yoghurt and coconut cream with 500g of cream cheese. Is this correct?
Hi Chelsea, what is the reason for adding the avocado? I don’t much like avocado so wondering if it’s ok to miss it out or, if its needed, if you can’t taste it in the cheesecake? Looking forward to a yummy dairy free dessert! Thanks, Katherine
Hi Chelsea, along with many other allergies we also have an avocado allergy in our house. Is there something we could substitute for this? Or leave it out? Thanks
Hi Chelsea
Thanks so much. Our household is a mix of food intolerances with dairy and gluten free and low FODMAP? Any suggestions for an alternative to the cashews.
Coconut Yoghurt is easily found in supermarkets now and is delicious. I will definatley try this and look forward to many more Vegan receipes from you Chelsea!
Hi Chelsea, I’ve made the original recipe the last few christmases and loved it. It’s nice that you’ve made a new and improved version but do you still have the recipe for the old and inferior version?
Yes I have a link to it in the first paragraph :)
Hi is it a massive problem if the coconut cream has stabiliser because it’s the only one I can find? Thanks Jennifer from chch
Give it a go – it just might not separate.
Kings cream cheese (usually at new world) is an alternative to the brand above, hard to find in small towns though :)
Thanks for the recipe! Made it for the first time for a NYE party & folks loved it. Made the dairy/gluten version with normal cream cheese & cream, omitted egg whites, changed the base to digestives with butter & a dash of cocoa powder and doubled the recipe to cater for 15 people. Very very tasty!
What could I substitute the dairy free cream cheese with, it isn’t availble here in Oamaru. Thanks
Hi Chelsea! I love your recipes and I’m really excited to make this cheesecake for my gluten and dairy free friend who’s coming out of hospital soon! My friend also happens to have a soy allergy and unfortunately most chocolates contain soy. Any recommendations for chocolate substitutes? Could I just substitute cocoa powder, almond milk and sugar instead? Thanks :)
Hey, I was wondering if the crust comes out crunchy like an actual cheesecake? :)
It’s crunchy and crumbly :)
This is my go to for extra special occasions! So delicious and even people who claim to hate cheesecake love it! I adore both of your cook books, can’t wait for the third!
You don’t say what size the chocolate is. Can I use cooking chocolate?