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.
Chris wrote on February 23, 2013
There is no need to use that much acidophilus in your nut cheese. I’ve been successful using anywhere from two to five small capsules to a 16oz (1lb) bag of cashews or macadamias. I’m not sure if it takes longer to ferment, but it generally takes me from 48 to 72 hours to get a nice tangy cheese. If it is warm even less time. I’ve notice other recipes calling for tons of acidophilus but can’t figure out why. Maybe the brand I use (Jarro) is stronger? I’ve also found cashews to produce a firmer cheese than macadamias. I am still toying around with sunflower seeds (much cheaper alternative), they definitely need to be soaked ahead and seem to have a sunflower taste to the cheese. Not bad if you season up the end product.
Veronica wrote on February 20, 2013
Is ok to make the cheese without the probiotics?
Thanks
Michelle wrote on February 20, 2013
Does the cheese need to be covered once refrigerated to set?
Una wrote on February 19, 2013
I just realized (after I threw it out, doh!) that if you add probiotics and then drain the cheese over a bowl the water in the bowl could probably be saved as starter for the next batch? Seems worth trying as it would make virtually free starter culture..
Vera wrote on February 13, 2013
Can I use almonds insted macademia nuts with probiotics? Do I have to soake them overnight?
Bianca wrote on February 11, 2013
I have just put my ‘cheese’ in the fridge. Hoping it turns out ok! I may have given it more than a gentle squeeze, so I had plenty of leftover cashew milk (which I think tastes like sour cream, I will add it to dinner tonight). Is it normal to have that much leftover milk? Say 1/2 cup? And is the bag supposed to be suspended? Mine is sitting in a small bowl. Is this right?
Brandon wrote on February 10, 2013
Have you ever mixed it with herbs or spices for flavor? The simple almond cheese looks to have a cream cheese consistency. I was thinking it would go well with some mashed kewee or strawberry as a spread.
Valerie Samuel wrote on February 1, 2013
Hi, I found your site on search for nut cheese recipes. I was expecting the process to be labor-intensive, but I’m excited to see it’s not! Thanks for the clear instructions…I AM inspired to try this!
Christina wrote on January 27, 2013
Do you have a recipe for those awesome looking crackers with the orange flecks?
Susan wrote on January 28, 2013
Look in the Recipe Archive under crackers and breads. 🙂