Vanilla Cashew Cheese
Created by: Brittany Luckeck, 2016
Yield: 1 Pound of Cheese
Yield: 1 Pound of Cheese
Nutritional Benefits: A great source of calcium, this cheese recipe is a fun alternative and is lower in fat than a cheese made with only whole milk. Use it as a spread to turn an afternoon snack from boring to exciting.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 C Water 3/4 gal Whole Milk, not ultra-pasteurized 1/4 gal Unsweetened Vanilla Cashew Milk 1 Rennet Tablet, not Junket Rennet 1 1/2 tsp Citric Acid 1 tsp Salt |
Nutritional Information (Per 1 oz. Serving):
Calories: 119 Carbohydrate: 8.5 g Sugar: 8.3 g Total Fat: 6.5 g Saturated Fat: 3.8 g Protein: 5.3 g Sodium: 275.3 mg |
Directions:
Stir the citric acid into 1 cup of water until dissolved.
Measure out ¼ cup of water in a separate bowl and gently stir in the rennet until dissolved.
Pour the whole milk and unsweetened vanilla cashew milk into a pot. Stir in the citric acid solution. Set the pot over medium-high heat and warm to 104 degrees F, stirring gently.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir the solution into a room temperature pot or bowl. Stir in the rennet solution, counting to 30. Stop stirring, cover the pot, and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, the milk should have set and it should look and feel like soft tofu. If it is still liquidy, re-cover the pot and let it sit for another 5 minutes or so. Once the milk has set, cut the curds into a grid-like pattern. Make sure the knife reaches all the way to the bottom of the pan.
Place the curds back into the pot and back on the stove over medium heat and warm the curds to 105 degrees F. Stir slowly as the curds warm, but try not to break them up too much. The curds will eventually clump together and separate more completely from the yellow whey.
Remove the curds from the heat and continue stirring gently for another 5 minutes.
Ladle the curds into a microwave-safe bowl with a slotted spoon.
Microwave the curds for one minute. Drain off the whey. Put on rubber gloves and fold the curds over on themselves a few times. At this point, the curds will still be very loose and cottage-cheese-like.
Microwave the curds until they have reached 135°F. Once the curds are at the correct temperature, stretch the curds.
Sprinkle the salt over the cheese and squish it with your fingers to incorporate. Using both hands, stretch and fold the curds repeatedly. The cheese will start to tighten, become firm, and take on a glossy sheen. When this happens, you are ready to shape the cheese into a ball.
Eat immediately or refrigerate for up to a week.
Stir the citric acid into 1 cup of water until dissolved.
Measure out ¼ cup of water in a separate bowl and gently stir in the rennet until dissolved.
Pour the whole milk and unsweetened vanilla cashew milk into a pot. Stir in the citric acid solution. Set the pot over medium-high heat and warm to 104 degrees F, stirring gently.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir the solution into a room temperature pot or bowl. Stir in the rennet solution, counting to 30. Stop stirring, cover the pot, and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, the milk should have set and it should look and feel like soft tofu. If it is still liquidy, re-cover the pot and let it sit for another 5 minutes or so. Once the milk has set, cut the curds into a grid-like pattern. Make sure the knife reaches all the way to the bottom of the pan.
Place the curds back into the pot and back on the stove over medium heat and warm the curds to 105 degrees F. Stir slowly as the curds warm, but try not to break them up too much. The curds will eventually clump together and separate more completely from the yellow whey.
Remove the curds from the heat and continue stirring gently for another 5 minutes.
Ladle the curds into a microwave-safe bowl with a slotted spoon.
Microwave the curds for one minute. Drain off the whey. Put on rubber gloves and fold the curds over on themselves a few times. At this point, the curds will still be very loose and cottage-cheese-like.
Microwave the curds until they have reached 135°F. Once the curds are at the correct temperature, stretch the curds.
Sprinkle the salt over the cheese and squish it with your fingers to incorporate. Using both hands, stretch and fold the curds repeatedly. The cheese will start to tighten, become firm, and take on a glossy sheen. When this happens, you are ready to shape the cheese into a ball.
Eat immediately or refrigerate for up to a week.