I want to make cheese for all of my friends. This is part two in my attempt to accommodate my friends who can’t eat dairy products.
![wpid-wp-1409659994937.jpeg](https://i0.wp.com/ocarinaproject.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/wpid-wp-1409659994937-300x225.jpeg?resize=300%2C225)
Vegan cheddar begins the same way as vegan yogurt: lots of cashews!
Oh, and a few extra ingredients:
![wpid-wp-1409660163479.jpeg](https://i0.wp.com/ocarinaproject.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/wpid-wp-1409660163479-300x225.jpeg?resize=300%2C225)
I blended everything together and heated the resulting “cashew goo” on my stove. This mixture was then poured into my cheese press to give it shape. Finally, the cheese was air-dried for a few days.
I was happy with the turnout, but I would do a few things differently the next time I make this:
- I doubled the recipe from the book, and I don’t think all the cashews were ground up in the second round of blending. Next time: I won’t double the recipe.
- The yogurt I used was thinner than I was expecting (see Part 1). Next time: I’ll either buy soy yogurt from the store or spend more time focusing on the cashew yogurt so it thickens a bit more.
- I noticed that I cooked some of the cheese to the bottom of my pot while heating. Next time: I’ll use a double boiler setup to distribute heat more evenly.
- I only “pressed” the cheese on one side, leading to one smooth side and one rough side. Next time: I want to press for a few minutes on both sides.
- The book told me to rub salt on the cheese before air drying, but I think this led to the cracks you see on the sides. Next time: I want to apply salt with a brine solution instead (I would normally do this with a dairy cheese)