DIY Vegan Cheese

hink making your own vegan cheese must be time-consuming and require a restaurant kitchen’s worth of special tools and ingredients? Nothing could be further from the truth. As the recipes on the following pages show, it’s easy to create lusciously creamy, ultraflavorful slices and spreads—from a Cheddar to wow take-along lunchers to a pepper-crusted goat cheese log to satisfy peckish partygoers.

What You’ll Need

large, nonreactive (stainless steel or glass) bowl for soaking
blender or food processor 3 sheets cheesecloth
large strainer

Cheese Making 1, 2, 3

1. Soak Place nuts or grains in bowl, and cover with at least 3 inches cold water (the nuts will swell as they soak). Soak 12 hours or overnight, away from sunlight. Drain soaking water, rinse nuts, then drain again.

2. Blend well Purée soaked nuts in blender or food processor 6 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl often to ensure creamy, even texture.

3. Drain and dry Drain cheese through cheesecloth-lined strainer to eliminate excess moisture and concentrate flavors. Bake at low temperature to remove moisture and firm up final product. The longer cheese bakes, the more crumbly it becomes.

Tip: Using agar
The secret to success when adding agar to vegan cheeses or desserts is to simmer the flakes in plenty of liquid for about 8 minutes, or until all the bits have dissolved. (once cold, undissolved agar flakes turn grainy.)

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/say-cheese-2/

Cheddar Cheeze

Makes 1-lb. block
Pine nuts are so small and tender, they don’t need to be soaked before using to make this cheese. Agar flakes lend firmness and sliceability and eliminate the need for a straining step. Try adding other ingredients, such as chopped jalapeño chiles, cumin or caraway seeds, or a dash of smoked paprika.

1 ¼ cups unsweetened plain soymilk
¼ cup agar flakes
½ cup raw pine nuts
⅓ cup canola oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbs. dry white wine
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp. granulated onion
1 ¾ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. ground black pepper

1. Line 2- to 3-cup rectangular (or whatever shape you prefer) container with 2 layers cheesecloth, allowing cheesecloth to hang over sides.
2. Whisk together soymilk and agar flakes in saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook 8 minutes, or until agar dissolves completely and mixture is thick, stirring frequently.
3. Blend nuts, oil, lemon juice, wine, garlic, granulated onion, salt, and pepper in blender or food processor
5 minutes, or until smooth, scraping down sides frequently. Add soymilk mixture, and blend 2 minutes more, or until smooth. Transfer mixture to cheesecloth-lined container; smooth top. Fold overhanging cheesecloth over cheese. Refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm. Unwrap, slice, and serve.

nutritional information
Per 2-oz. serving:

Calories: 167
Protein: 3 g
Total Fat: 16 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 522 mg
Fiber: <1 g
Sugar: 1 g

Vegan Gluten-Free

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/cheddar-cheeze/

Pepper-Crusted Cashew Goat Cheese

Makes 10-oz. round
Cashews become very creamy and smooth when blended, which makes them perfect for this cheese. It's aged at room temperature, then baked just until dry to the touch.

¾ cup raw cashews
6 Tbs. canola oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1 Tbs. tahini
1 ¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cracked black peppercorns or coarsely ground black pepper

1. Place cashews in large bowl; cover with 3 inches water. Soak overnight.

2. Drain liquid, rinse cashews under cold water, and drain again. Purée cashews, oil, lemon juice, tahini, salt, and 2 Tbs. water in food processor 6 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.

3. Place large strainer over bowl, and line with triple layer of cheesecloth. Spoon cashew mixture into cheesecloth. Fold sides of cloth over cheese, and form into 6-inch-long oval loaf. Twist ends of cloth and secure with rubber bands. Set in strainer over bowl, and let stand 12 hours at room temperature. Discard excess liquid. Chill.

4. Preheat oven to 200°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap cheese, and scrape into 7-inch-long log on cheesecloth. Rewrap, and twist ends to secure. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 35 minutes, or until cheese becomes set on outside but still soft, turning occasionally. Cool, and chill.

5. Unwrap cheese. Sprinkle with peppercorns, pressing to adhere.

Pepper Crusted Cashew Goat Cheese
nutritional information
Per 1-oz. serving:

Calories: 140
Protein: 2 g
Total Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 293 mg
Fiber: <1 g
Sugar: <1 g

Vegan Gluten-Free

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/pepper-crusted-cashew-goat-cheese/

Almond Feta Cheese with Herb Oil

Makes 10-oz. round
Blanched almonds give this creamy-crumbly cheese a rich texture. Unbaked, it will be smooth and spreadable. Baking will make it a bit more crumbly, like traditional feta cheese.

1 cup whole blanched almonds
¼ cup lemon juice
3 Tbs. plus ¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 ¼ tsp. salt
1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves

1. Place almonds in medium bowl, and cover with 3 inches cold water. Let soak 24 hours. Drain soaking liquid, rinse almonds under cold running water, and drain again.

2. Purée almonds, lemon juice, 3 Tbs. oil, garlic, salt, and 1/2 cup cold water in food processor 6 minutes, or until very smooth and creamy.

3. Place large strainer over bowl, and line with triple layer of cheesecloth. Spoon almond mixture into cheesecloth. Bring corners and sides of cloth together, and twist around cheese, forming into orange-size ball and squeezing to help extract moisture. Secure with rubber band or kitchen twine. Chill 12 hours, or overnight. Discard excess liquid.

4. Preheat oven to 200°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap cheese (it will be soft), and transfer from cheesecloth to prepared baking sheet. Flatten to form 6-inch round about 3/4-inch thick. Bake 40 minutes, or until top is slightly firm. Cool, then chill. (Cheese can be made up to this point 2 days ahead; keep refrigerated.)

5. Combine remaining 1/4 cup oil, thyme, and rosemary in small saucepan. Warm oil over medium-low heat 2 minutes, or until very hot but not simmering. Cool to room temperature. Drizzle herb oil over cheese just before serving.

nutritional information
Per 1-oz. serving:

Calories: 170
Protein: 3 g
Total Fat: 17 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 4 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 295 mg
Fiber: 2 g
Sugar: <1 g

Vegan Gluten-Free

www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/almond-feta-cheese-with-herb-oil/