If you've been looking for something to show off with at dinner parties, this vegan pomegranate cheesecake is bound to impress. It's also fairly simple to make and most of the work lies in the chilling of each element.
Ingredients
For the cheesecake base
- 35 grams vegan spread or coconut oil
- 70 grams vegan digestive biscuits
For the cheesecake mix
- 180 grams pomegranate juice
- 1¾ tsp agar agar powder
- 150 grams plant-based double cream
- 90 grams golden caster sugar
- 120 grams vegan Greek style cheese
- 180 grams vegan cream cheese
- Vegan-friendly red food coloring or beetroot juice optional
For the pomegranate jelly
- 120 grams pomegranate juice
- ½ tsp agar agar powder
- Seeds of a whole pomegranate fruit
Instructions
For the cheesecake base
- Melt the spread or oil in the microwave for 20 seconds.
- Grind the biscuits in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the melted spread or oil with a spatula.
- Roll out between 2 sheets of parchment paper, 3mm thick. Place on a flat tray and keep in the fridge, allowing the spread to harden.
For the cheesecake mix
- Dissolve the agar agar in the pomegranate juice and bring it to a boil, whisking continuously. Keep it boiling for about 10 seconds.
- Add the cream and bring it back to the boil. Gently reduce to half the initial quantity on medium heat, stirring constantly.
- In a mixing bowl, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, cream cheese and the Greek style cheese at medium-high speed until creamy, for about 2 minutes.
- Reduce the speed and gradually add the reduced pomegranate mix
- Increase the speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl twice at least, until smooth consistency, with no remaining lumps.
For the pomegranate jelly
- Dissolve the agar agar in the pomegranate juice. Bring to the boil and keep boiling for 10 seconds.
Assembling
- Keeping your mold upside down, pour 1 generous teaspoon of pomegranate seeds in the bottom of each pyramid mold. Cover the seeds with the jelly.
- They will set at room temperature or, for a quicker way, transfer to the freezer for 1 hour.
- Fill the mold with the cheesecake mix. Leave ½ cm free on the top to place the cheesecake base. Put back in the freezer for 1 hour at least.
- Remove the cheesecake base from the fridge. Cut the bases the same size as the mold, put on top and let it set for another 2 hours in the freezer.
- Unmold the cakes and let them defrost at room temperature for about 20 minutes.