How to Make Aged Nut Cheese

Aged nut cheese is a vegan alternative to cheese and is often used as a spread. Cashews are the most common nut used to make aged nut cheese, but some recipes use pine nuts, almonds and macadamias. It's easiest to make the aged nut cheese as a spread rather than a hard cheese. Spreads are more versatile and can be used to make a sauce for wheat pasta when more almond milk is added.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup cashews or cashew butter
• 2 tbsp. yeast flakes
• 2 tbsp. tahini
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• Large plastic container
• Wooden spoon
• Dehydrator

Instructions

1. Wash one cup cashews thoroughly in cool, running water and dry in a strainer. For a more creamy cheese, use one cup cashew butter instead of the nuts.

2. Process the cashews in a food processor before adding other ingredients. If you're using cashew butter, you can combine all the ingredients at one time.

3. Add a 1/4 cup of almond milk, 2 tbsp. of tahini, 2 tbsp. of yeast flakes, 1/2 tsp. of onion powder, 1/2 tsp. of salt, 1/4 tsp. of garlic powder and a 1/4 tsp. of ground white pepper to the food processor. Process all of the ingredients until a fine paste is formed.

4. Transfer the mixture to a large plastic storage container. Stir thoroughly for five minutes using a wooden spoon. Cover the bowl with a lid or with plastic wrap and store in your refrigerator for at least one week to age.

5. You will have a soft, spreadable cheese for sandwiches, bagels and crackers. For hard cheese, spread a thin layer onto a non-stick sheet of a dehydrator tray and dry the cheese at 105 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 12 hours.

References

• Cashew Nut Cheese
• Aged Pine Nut Cheese