Orange and chocolate are not only an incredible flavor combo but a perfect duo of colors for the coming holiday! These Orange Dream Scares are a must-have for all your Halloween festivities!
My first time making these Orange Dream Scares was a couple of years ago. I was attending a Halloween party and wanted a festive treat to share. Since vegan cheesecakes are kind of my go-to for a dessert that everyone loves, I decided they’d be a great choice. Idecided on an orange and chocolate combo because duh… the colors are perfect, and because who doesn’t love orange with chocolate!? I know I do!
In the end, I chose not to add the tartness of a cheesecake, but otherwise, the base of these is the same. They’re just more of creamy treat squares, I mean scares (LOL), rather than a cheesecake, though very similar.
Of course, spending the time to draw spiders or webs on these isn’t necessary for the flavor, and perhaps you would like orange and chocolate treats at a time other than Halloween, well that is fine and totally doable! Simply do chocolate swirls, as I demonstrate with some of my other treats. It’s quicker, easier, just as tasty, and appropriate for Halloween or any time of year.
I’ve shared these with friends and family, and once again, we have a vegan-made and omni-approved delicious recipe! If you make these for Halloween this year, I hope they’re enjoyed by all! Let me know by leaving a comment below or taking a pic or your Orange Dream Scares and tagging me on Instagram, @veggiesattiffanis.
Orange Dream Scares
Ingredients
For the crust…
- 3/4 cup raw almonds
- 3/4 cup pitted dates
- 2 Tbsp non-dairy chocolate chips ensure soy-free, if needed
For the filling…
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews soaked overnight, or for at least 4 hours (overnight is needed if not using a high-speed blender)
- orange rind, grated from 1 orange
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (1 – 2 oranges will be needed, don't add sugar!)
- 1/2 cup coconut cream refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk for 24 hours — the solid part is the cream (do not use the liquid, save for smoothies)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp blue agave syrup or more to taste
- 3/4 tsp orange extract, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- vegan orange food coloring, as needed (optional) The dessert will be slighlty orange without but not by much. This of course isn't necessary for the flavor, only for visual purposes.
For the chocolate topping…
- 1/2 cup non-dairy chocolate chips ensure soy-free, if needed
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Add all crust ingredients to the food processor, fitted with an s-blade. Mix on high until almonds are chopped fine and a dough can be formed when the mixture is pressed between two fingers.
- LIne a 9" x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper. Press the "dough" out evenly to cover the bottom of the pan. Place in the freezer.
- Add all filling ingredients, except for the food coloring, into your blender. Blend on high until the ingredients are combined and smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Taste and add more agave or orange extract if desired.
- If using, blend in food coloring, one drop at a time, until your desired color has been reached.
- Remove the loaf pan from the freezer. Pour the filling over the crust. Shake or smooth to form an even top. Add the loaf pan back to the freezer and freeze overnight or serveral hours until completely frozen.
- When ready to finish, remove the loaf pan from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to one hour. Pull along the sides of the parchment paper to lift the Orange Treat Scares block from the loaf pan. Place onto a cutting board and carefully cut into desired sized squares or bars (I do 18 2-bite squares). Transfer the board of treats into the refrigerator.
- Add water to the bottom pot of a double boiler and bring to a boil. Add all topping ingredients to the top pot and turn heat down to low. Whisk constantly until ingredients are combined and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for one to two minutes.
- If desired, transfer chocolate topping into a squirt bottle or pastry bag (with a fine tip) to decorate Scares. Alternatively, you can use a small spoon and/or toothpicks to decorate. Draw spiders, webs, bats, or decorative squiggles. Place Scares in the refrigerator until chocolate has hardened. Serve or *store in the refrigerator until ready to enjoy.