Homemade Cultured Cashew Cream Cheese

Step 1

Soak your cashews in cold filtered water for 2-4 hours. If using a less powerful blender, soak for longer. You can soak up to overnight, but keep in the refrigerator if soaking for longer than 4 hours. Drain the soaking water and rinse the cashews.

Step 2

Sanitize everything that will come into contact with the cheese mixture by rinsing with boiling hot water. Pour it over the blender or food processor, including the blades, lid, and tamper stick--anything that will touch the cashew cheese. Pour it over the measuring cups, the silicon spatula (ideally with a wooden or silicon handle), and the glass bowl you will culture in, including its lid if it has one. Pour off the boiling hot water once it's rinsed and scalded every surface and let the steam mostly evaporate (its ok if a little water is left behind). Be careful not to burn yourself with the water when you do this.

Step 3

Add the soaked cashews to the sanitized blender or food processor along with 1/2 cup of distilled water and a pinch of salt. Blend or process until smooth, using the tamper to keep the mixture moving if applicable, or pausing to scrape down periodically. If needed add up to 1/4 cup extra distilled water to make a smooth and thick cream.

Step 4

Transfer the thick cashew cream to the sanitized glass bowl using the sanitized silicon spatula. Add the probiotic and mix in to combine using the spatula. Sprinkle a small amount of salt over the top (this inhibits any undesirable mold) and cover using the lid of the glass bowl or plastic wrap.

Step 5

Leave out on the counter to culture for 1-3 days. Stir once every 12-24 hours using a sanitized rubber spatula, sprinkling a bit of salt over the top after each time. Taste after 1 day, and let culture until you reach your desired level of tangy-sourness. The cheese will thicken as it cultures. Culturing will take longer when the kitchen is cold and shorter when the kitchen is very warm.

Step 6

Once cultured to taste, add in the nutritional yeast and salt. It's ok for metal to touch the mixture at this point. Taste and add more salt if desired.

Step 7

At this point add in any mix-ins you like, then refrigerate. It will firm up after being refrigerated for several hours. The cheese will keep for at least 1-2 weeks.