Makes about 2 cups
This easy, dairy-free cheese is cultured with probiotics, for a more authentic flavor. I started with whole cashews, but you can use raw cashew butter for faster prep—also a good option if you don’t have a high-powered blender or food processor to make the mixture smooth and creamy. Be sure to use raw, not roasted, cashews or cashew butter; the roasted varieties won’t ferment.
This basic cheese lends itself to lots of applications: use it plain as a cream-cheese spread, or add flavors after it’s finished culturing: try truffle oil, minced herbs, horseradish, garlic powder or other spices, or stir in turmeric or annatto powder for a cheddar-like spread. Or make a baby faux-brie wheel: line a ramekin with plastic wrap, making it as smooth as possible, then firmly pack cheese in to the ramekin. Cover and refrigerate overnight, unmold and remove the plastic, and dredge the wheel in tapioca flour to lightly coat it. Shake off any excess tapioca and serve cold!
2 cups raw cashew butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 to 4 tablespoons warm water
2 vegan probiotics capsules
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
1. Combine cashew butter, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the water in a food processor. Empty the contents of the probiotic capsules into the mixture (discard capsules) and puree until smooth and creamy, adding additional water if needed.
2. Transfer mixture to a glass bowl. Cover with cheesecloth or a thin, lint-free kitchen towel and let stand in a warm place for 24 to 72 hours. Mixture will get firmer and tangier the longer it sits; a soft, mild cream cheese-like spread should be ready in about 24 hours.
3. Scrape cultured cheese into a food processor and add melted coconut oil, salt and nutritional yeast if using (I skip the nutritional yeast for cream cheese spreads). Puree until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
4. Line two small ramekins with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap into the edges of the ramekin and removing as many wrinkles as possible; leave some plastic hanging over the edges of the ramekin. Pack cheese firmly into ramekins, cover with plastic and chill for 6 hours, until firm.
5. Use overhanging plastic to lift cheese from ramekin. Flip over onto a serving plate and carefully peel off plastic. Store mixture for 5 to 7 days, refrigerated.