Chocolate sweet potato cheesecake truffles

For inexplicable reasons I attribute to breastfeeding, I have recently craved vegan cheese. This is inexplicable because cheese rates as one of my least favourite foods and has done since childhood (with odd pre-vegan exceptions, like soft cheeses with dried fruit in them). With these cravings I have bought Tesco soya cream cheese and the new Sainsbury's coconut-based cheddar cheese (or Gary as it's popularly known). I can say with some confidence that the Sainsbury's dairy free cheddar must be close to its dairy counterpart, because despite my craving I don't like it very much! I've had it on toast and on pizza and whilst it's tolerable in my current cheese-friendly state, it's not likely to feature in my kitchen regularly.

The soya cream cheese, on the other hand, was a nice discovery. I like it in sandwiches with spinach and jam (not together!) and it allowed me to make a vegan carrot cake with cream cheese icing. I don't know if my enjoyment of the product means it tastes different to dairy versions, as per my love of vegan cheesecakes but dislike of the traditional sort, or if my taste buds are acting out of the ordinary. Regardless, I'm enjoying the tub while I have it.

These chocolate sweet potato cheesecake truffles are a seasonally appropriate use of the soya cream cheese. Pumpkin could also be substituted if you are on the autumn pumpkin bandwagon. You probably know me well enough by now to realise that once I enjoy a flavour combination (like chocolate and sweet potato in my last post) I want it again - which is why I'm sharing sweet potato recipes in quick succession. Whether you use pumpkin or sweet potato, it's not a bad system to hide vegetables in cheesecake form.

These are firm enough not to need any coatings, but they could be dusted with additional cocoa powder or even dipped in chocolate if you wanted to up the decadence level further. I was happy to skip coatings and get them into my mouth that bit quicker!

Chocolate sweet potato cheesecake truffles

A delicious use of sweet potato that packs chocolate cheesecake flavours into individual truffle balls

Vegan

Makes approximately 16 small balls

Author: Bite-sized thoughts

Print recipe

Ingredients

1 small sweet potato, cooked and peeled, to yield approximately 1/2 cup cooked sweet potato chunks (mine was 145g before cooking and with skin)

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup dairy free cream cheese

Method

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir together well. I found it easier to mix the ingredients together while the sweet potato was still slightly warm. 

Place in the fridge to chill and firm up, for at least one hour. 

Use a teaspoon to scoop small amounts of the cheesecake mixture and then roll between your hands to form into balls.

Store in the fridge.

What is your favourite way to use cream cheese (soya or otherwise)?

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