I’m nuts for this cashew cheese spread. So delectable unto its own right, that it’s unfair to call it cheese. Meet the new peanut butter that you can easily make at home.
Don’t forget to allow time for overnight soaking of the cashews and 12 hours for the emulsified nut mixture to set in a cheesecloth wrap. Once it’s baked, eat it warm right out of the oven or chill for appetizers or a breakfast spread.
My Cashew Spread is an adaptation of Tesia Beam’s Cashew Cheese recipe found here on her blog, Create For Them.
Cashew Spread
Author: Yvonne Cornell
Ingredients
- 1½ cups raw cashews
- ½ cup olive oil or oil of your choosing
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 tsps salt (add another ½ tsp if you prefer salty)
- 4 TBSP water
Instructions
- Soak nuts overnight in jar or bowl filled with water to cover nuts.
- Drain liquid and rinse nuts well.
- Puree cashews, oil, lemon juice, salt and water in a food processor for at least 6 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Place mixture in cheesecloth and tie or wrap it at the top.
- (Optional and definitely not necessary: Use a round cookie cutter mold at the base to create a perfect circle.)
- Place cheesecloth in a strainer over a bowl to drip out any liquid. Set aside for 12 hours. You can expect VERY little liquid.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap cheese and form a ball or bake as is in the cheesecloth if you like the shape. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 40 minutes or until cashew mound becomes firm on outside but still soft. Serve warm or cool, and chill in refrigerator.
- Decorate with cracked pepper and herbs or edible flowers.
Yvonne looks great & cashews are my favorite nut, too!