I love making nut cheese, there are so many types that you can make!
From sweet to savoury, salty to pungent - recently I made an apricot almond ricotta and it was so sweet and creamy but you can opt for a more savoury cheese like a rosemary cashew soft cheese spread.
There are so many recipes online now about making nut cheeses, this writing is to breakdown for you the simplicity of this plant based food into its components then its for you to let your creativity or taste buds take you where you want the cheese to go.
There are four basic nut cheese components:
Soaked Nuts: The medium for the fermentation process
Probiotic: Source of desired bacteria
Water: Affects the texture and helps ease the blending process
Time: Amount of time spent fermenting impacts how subtle or intense the flavour of the cheese will be
(Please take into account that there are many variables that affect the fermentation process such as humidity, elevation, and temperature. These factors may require any number of adjustments to where and how long you ferment your cheese. )
SERVES 2 - 4
INGREDIENTS
• 1 Cup pre-soaked macadamias
• 1 Cup Pre-soaked cashews
• ¼ cup-½ cup water (Just enough to blend thoroughly. May need less for
cashews, more for macadamias)
• 1 capsule probiotic powder
• Pinch Pink Salt
METHOD
1. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
2. Wrap the mixture in cheesecloth, and ferment in a low (85F) dehydrator (placed on a mesh sheet for better air circulation), or in a strainer at room temperature, with a weight on top (not so heavy that cheese begins to push through cloth)
3. Leave to ferment for at least 24 hours but no longer than 48 hours. Check progress of cheese every 12 hours by smelling or tasting, so you can pause fermentation at your desired sourness/taste.
4. Once the cheese is ready this is where you place your plant based chef hat on and decide where you want to take the cheese. Do you want to go for a mixed fruit and nut finish or do you want to keep it simple with just a pinch of lemon and salt? Maybe adding only one ingredient such as thyme or go crazy dehydrate some cranberries and chop fresh rosemary
I would love to hear your unique nut cheese combinations once you have nailed the process of creating your very own basic nut cheese.
Leave a comment below once you have created your chosen nut cheese.
Enjoy totally, fully, completely with all of your being.
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