![]() Thanks, Meghan, for a great recipe! Next time I do this, I am going to use a nut milk bag, and use a stronger sauerkraut juice starter. While the nut cheese was fermenting in the refrigerator the previously slightly goopy mixture hardened and attained the perfect consistency–not hard, but very much like cream cheese. It was truly delicious–just the right color (a light grey, which is the same color as the natural nut cheese in the store). After 6 days I took the cheese out of the wrapper and tasted it. I then placed the nut milk cheese in the refrigerator. I removed the mixture and transferred it to a mixing bowl, mixed in a dill spice blend (the spice blend is called “Deliciously Dill” for those who can get it (no, I do not work for the company that makes it!), and I transferred the mixture to parchment paper and wrapped it in plastic wrap as the recipe called for. I then transferred the mixture to cheese cloth and placed the mixture in a sealed sauerkraut crock (the kind with the lip of water around the edge–just the mixture inside the cheese cloth and nothing else), and I let it sit for about 48 hours (a little longer than the recommended 36 hours–I live in a basement apartment in a cool climate, so the temperature was around 60 degrees most of the time). I soaked the cashews per the recipe, then highly blended the cashews in the food processor with the requisite amount of starter (I used the juice from a recent batch of fermented cauliflower I had made). ![]() ![]() I did a couple of things slightly different from the recipe. I made my first batch of fermented nut cheese and it turned out really well. In most cases, you’ll want to watch out for mould fur. The littlest thing can change everything and fermentation is always a little bit of an experiment ( you can learn more about the wonders of fermentation and try some exciting fermented projects here). You should know that when you are taking on fermentation projects there is no guarantee of success. I drizzled honey on top and sprinkled with hemp seeds. I enjoyed this cheese on a slice of gluten-free bread. If you want a fermented nut cheese with a firmer texture, I’d recommend equal parts cashews and almonds. To get this texture, I used 1 cup of cashews. Once you’ve aged your cheese, swap out the parchment for a fresh, dry piece and this should keep in your fridge for 4-5 days. This will dry it out slightly, make it firmer and also concentrate the flavour. Take the parchment wrapped cheese and stick it in an airtight container (or wrap it in plastic wrap) and store it in the fridge for 4-6 days. Once your fermented nut cheese is rolled, it’s time to age it. I then scooped the mixture onto a sheet of unbleached parchment. I added the cherries and cinnamon and mixed them into the cheese. Cinnamon and organic dried cherries (that’s what I used for this one).This is your cheese base and you can then decide how you want to flavour it. Once it’s ready (and you know it’s ready as it’s dry to the feel on the outside and when you pull it in half, the middle has a yeasty smell like freshly baked bread). This mix is then transferred to a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and put in your dehydrator on low for 24hrs, or you can let it sit on your counter for 36 hours. You then blend the nuts up with a probiotic and some water, or a fermented culture (details in the recipe). You begin by soaking your nuts for 6-8 hours and then give them a good rinse. Making this cheese does take some planning as it takes about one week from start to finish. Planning for Fermented Nut Cheese Success As an extra bonus, the fermentation process further fuels the health of the gut. What’s really awesome about this dairy-free, grain-free, starch-free, protein-rich cheese option is that as we’re soaking and then fermenting it, it’s incredibly easy on the digestive system in terms of breaking it down. This is, by far, the best alternative I’ve ever enjoyed. I DIY-ed it up and make my own creamy and delicious fermented nut cheese. And so I opted to go without, and splurge only once in a while on a raw, lactose-free, organic cheese when it could be found. I definitely didn’t want cheese made out of soy. I didn’t want to eat cheese made out of a cocktail of starches. When I gave up dairy, I wasn’t interested in hopping on the fake cheese bandwagon. It definitely isn’t the power food group government agencies like us to think it is, but moreover, for many of us, it contributes to digestive upset, inflammation, skin problems and all-around phlegmyness. Like some of you, I gave up dairy long ago. But we’ve all grown up, right? Nothing funny about nut cheese! Only awesomeness worth celebrating. Now, if this were back in the day and my blog was still called Making Love In The Kitchen, and I still got a kick out of referring to my nut milk bag as a My Nut Sack, I might be inclined to crack a few 12-year-old-child-jokes about nut cheese.
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