Raw Recipe: Simple Almond Cheese
Nut cheeses are a great item to have in your raw food recipe collection. They are tasty, easily support the addition of many herbs and spices, and will impress your raw and non-raw friends a like! There are a couple of different ways to make nut cheeses.
You can make delicious nut cheeses with macadamia nuts, cashew nuts and many other nuts and seeds.
Macadamia Nut Cheese made with probiotics.
(From the Rawmazing Holiday Book)
Probiotics: Probably the easiest, but most expensive way to make the “cheese” is to use probiotics. I love how this “cheese” tastes and the texture is wonderful and it is quite fail-proof. The only drawback is the cost of the probiotics. Most recipes require at least a teaspoon, which can be more than half a bottle of capsules. On the plus side, the cheeses are wonderful, the probiotics don’t require advanced preparation.
Cashew Cheese made with Rejuvelac
(recipe here: Cheese)
Rejuvelac: Raw Cheeses made with rejuvilac also have great taste and texture but can be a little more temperamental. Plus, you need to add a couple of days to your process to make the rejuvelac. The grain needs to be sprouted first and then made into rejuvelac. It can be a bit time consuming. That said, it makes a great cheese with wonderful, tangy taste and good texture.
Simple Almond Cheese (recipe follows)
Simple Cheese: Simple cheese spreads and simple cheeses can be made with just nuts and no fermentation process. I usually prefer these cheeses for spreads, but they can also be firmed up and dehydrated to form the rind.
Different nuts not only taste different, but also will give different textures. Almonds make a clean tasting cheese that is a little grainy. Macadamias make a beautiful, creamy cheese that develops good firm texture. Cashews make a smooth, easy to flavor cheese that has a bit of a softer texture.
Today’s recipe is pretty simple. I started my “cheese” when I got up. I threw the ingredients in the food processor, spooned it into a nut-milk bad and tossed it in the refrigerator. The next morning, I took it out, patted it into a round and tossed it in the dehydrator (to form a “rind”). By the evening, it was ready to go!
I hope I have inspired you to try your hand at nut cheese making. It is fun and tasty!
Soaked almonds with skins removed. It takes a little time but is very easy. They just pop right off.
The almonds should be well blended and smooth.
The mixture in the nut-milk bag, before putting it in the refrigerator.
Simple Almond Cheese
Simple Almond Cheese
- 1 cup almonds, soaked, drained and skins removed
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- pinch Himalayan Salt
- Soak almonds overnight in water. Drain and pop off skins.
Place all ingredients in food processor. Process until smooth. This will take a bit of time, don’t rush.
Place nut mixture in nut-milk bag or colander lined with cheese cloth.
Give a light squeeze and place in refrigerator over-night to set up.
You can use the cheese at this point or if you want it more firm, place it in the dehydrator for 6+ hours (at 115 degrees) to form a rind.
san wrote on October 5, 2012
can you make nut cheese from leftover meal this way (specifically leftover almond milk from making almond milk)? thanks
Susan wrote on October 6, 2012
I would not use left over pulp. It is a left over. Makes great almond flour but not cheese. Cheers!
claire wrote on October 4, 2012
You don’t need to buy probiotic pills to make your cheese probiotic. You can add a bit of any vegan or dairy probiotic product… a spoonful of (soy, coconut “cultured”) yogurt or a bit of Good Belly juice, whatever, and add it to your blended sprouted nuts, and allow to ferment before adding seasoning. Then, you just save a spoonful of this unseasoned “cheese”, to add to the next batch. Its the same principle as keeping a yeast starter.
Susan wrote on October 4, 2012
The probiotics are used for taste. I would be hesitant to add a processed (vegan yoghurt) food to my raw recipe. But, feel free to do as you wish! Cheers!
Lisa wrote on September 20, 2012
I just made the almond cheese and it is now in the fridge. How long will it keep? Can I freeze it?
Susan wrote on September 21, 2012
I have not tried freezing the cheese. It should last for about 5 days in the refrigerator. Use your best judgement. CHeers!
Debby wrote on August 18, 2012
I am just starting a Paleo diet and was disappointed to learn no dairy products, as cheese is my favorite food – so thanks for the recipe!!
QUESTION: I like making my own almond milk, but don’t because I hate wasting the “leftovers” after straining. In your opinion, do you think I could use these to make the cheese? That would make me so happy!! Thank you!!
Susan wrote on August 18, 2012
Debbie:
You should continue to make almond milk. It is wonderful fresh! You can save the pulp and make almond flour. You can not use the pulp for this recipe. Cheers!
Troy wrote on June 17, 2012
Can not wait to try. Has any one tried to add Lecithan? I know several people are anti soy, bus think I’ll try it for creaminess.
Aziza wrote on May 7, 2012
Tried the almond cheese recipe came out perfect ,after it drained I wrap it with a couple of towels and put a weight on it for overnight in the fridge ,perfect texture ,,,,thanks
Debbie wrote on April 26, 2012
Just wondering if you added coconut oil or coconut creme to the batch of cashew cheese to make it firm because it looks similar to the cheese cakes I make using coconut oil? Also, I’m not sure if rejuvelac contains gluten?
Susan wrote on April 26, 2012
You can make rejuvelac with gluten free grains. I don’t know about the coconut oil or coconut creme for these recipes as I have not tested it with that product. Cheers!
sunnie slade wrote on April 13, 2012
i have soaked my nuts before and never had this problem. the skin wont come off the almond, does that mean my nuts are old .
would it make a lot of difference if i leave the skins on? i have made nut balls before and used brazil and left the skin on and it just had specks of brown in it. but this is your recipe. so get back to me…
thanks,
Susan wrote on April 13, 2012
I have had that happen occasionally. You can certainly leave the skins on. It just won’t be as light colored. Cheers!
Holly wrote on April 10, 2012
Do you need to use raw almonds? If so, where can I get them?