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Plant based Cream Cheese

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DELICIOUS

Description

All the Cheese Lovers, get ready to indulge in a thick and creamy spread that’ll make you forget all about dairy cream cheese.  
Perfect for slathering on bagels, upgrading your sandwiches, and believe it or not, even adding a decadent twist to desserts! 🥯🥪🍰
But here’s the best part: while many store-bought non-dairy cream cheeses are loaded with oils, salt and sugar, this recipe is the ultimate guilt-free solution! 🙌 
Say goodbye to unnecessary additives and hello to pure deliciousness. 🌿
So, who’s up for a taste test? Let’s spread the love (and the plant-based cream cheese) far and wide! 💚✨
Method:
  1. Soak the cashews for 8 hrs or you can just soak them in boiling water for 2 hours or better yet cover the cashews with water and microwave for 2 minutes if you don’t have much time.
  2. I make my soy yogurt and use it for this dish. If you buy store-bought yogurt, use unsweetened soy or any plant-based one. Place 1 cup of unsweetened plain yogurt into a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and allow to strain for 30 minutes. You should have about 2/3 cup of strained yogurt after 30 minutes. The water from the yogurt should strain off, discard the water.  Note:  If the yogurt is already thick, you can skip the yogurt straining step and add 2/3 cup of yogurt.
  3. Place the yogurt, soaked cashews, lemon juice into a high-powered blender.
  4. Blend on high speed for at least 1 minute. Add little water if necessary to blend, but keep it to a minimum unless you want a thinner cream. Blend until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
  5. Transfer the mixture to a glass container and cover with plastic wrap or an airtight lid. Let the cheese ferment at room temperature for 1-3 days. It will thicken and develop air pockets as it cultures. A warmer environment and longer culturing time produces a sharper flavour.
  6. Refrigerate it once it has cultured to your taste. It can store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
  7. This makes around 2 cups of cream cheese.
  8. You can enjoy this cream cheese as it is but I like to use this cream cheese to make cheese cakes or cheese ball.

To make Cheese ball:

  1. Take 1 cup of cream cheese and place all remaining ingredients for the cheese ball into a bowl. Mix until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  2. Line a small bowl with plastic wrap and press the cheese ball mixture into the bowl, press the cheese ball firmly to the bowl. Then fold the excess plastic wrap over the top.
  3. Now Refrigerate it for at least 5 hours or overnight.
  4. To serve, take a serving plate. Open up the plastic wrap that was folded over the top of the bowl, then place a serving plate on top of the bowl, and invert. Remove the bowl, then carefully remove the plastic wrap.
  5. Now gently press finely chopped pecans or walnuts all over the cheese ball or just on the top.
  6. Serve with your favorite crackers (Mary’s Gone crackers) or fruit (seasonal berries, grapes) or flatbread.
  7. Enjoy this utterly delicious cheese!!!

This cream cheese is an excellent make-ahead recipe for parties, potlucks and fun gatherings. It can entice all types of guests and you don’t have to mention that it is nondairy cream cheese, as no one will be able to tell the difference.

Leftovers will generally keep for 4-7 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered container.

This cheese ball cannot be frozen.

Tip:

When you are trying it out for the first time and find that the end result isn’t firm enough to form a ball, then this recipe easily transforms into cheese “dip” from a cheese “ball”

Make sure you thoroughly drain the crushed pineapple in a fine-meshed strainer and press out the liquid. If you do not press the liquid out, you will end up with a cheese “dip” instead of a cheese “ball” because too much liquid has been introduced.

You can utilize one cup of cream cheese to make the cheese ball and one cup to make cheesecake.

 

Ingredients

To make Cream Cheese:
1 cup non-dairy yogurt (unsweetened)
2 cups cashews, soaked for 2-8 hours, and strained
1 Tbs lemon juice
To make the cheese ball:
1 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 cup red bell peppers finely chopped
1/4 cup green onions finely chopped (optional)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
To coat the cheese ball:
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
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