Hickory Smoked Vegan Cheese - Full of Plants (2024)

• ▢ 4 cups raw cashews soaked overnight
• ▢ 3 tbsp sweet white miso
• ▢ 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ▢ 4 tbsp filtered water
• ▢ 8 capsules acidophilus or 1/8 tsp mesophilic culture
• ▢ sea salt
• ▢ 2 tbsp hickory wood chips

Making the cheeses

• Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a large glass bowl. Bring a pot of water to a boil and pour over the cashews. Let sit for 1 minute, and drain. This step is not essential but will kill possible harmful bacteria.

• Transfer the cashews to a blender, or food processor. Add the white miso, nutritional yeast, and filtered water. Blend on high speed, scraping down the sides from time to time, until you get a very smooth yet thick texture. If needed, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until smooth. Do not add too much water. You want to use as little as possible otherwise the cheese will be too soft.

• Stir in the acidophilus powder from the capsules (or use mesophilic culture) and blend again for a few seconds.

• Transfer the cashew mixture to a cheesecloth and pull it tight. Add a weight above it and let sit at room temperature for about 24 hours. I placed the cheesecloth in a colander on top of a bowl. This step is important to start the fermentation of the cashew cream and drain possible excess water.

• After one day, the cashew cream should have a slightly sour, lemony taste, like fresh cream cheese. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with plastic film to touch and place in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.

• Cut strips of parchment paper and lay them in 3 4-inch springform pans. You want to cover the sides and bottom of the springform pans. You can also use plastic film if you prefer. The goal is to prevent the cheese from sticking to the metal. Fill the pans with the mixture and press it down using plastic film so it doesn’t stick to your hands. Cover the pans with plastic film to touch and place in the refrigerator for 2 days.

• Then, carefully remove the cheeses from the springform pans and place them on a plate or small baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Salt on both sides with about 1/4 tsp of salt. Do the same for the sides. Use your finger to gently spread the salt on the surface of the cheese.

• Place the cheeses in your refrigerator.

Aging

• The next day, your cheeses will have lost some water thanks to the salt. Pat them dry with a paper towel if they are too wet, and replace the parchment paper with a new one.

• For the next 2 weeks, flip the cheeses every day and change the parchment paper regularly if it becomes wet. Note: Cheeses should always be aged in your refrigerator, not at room temperature. At first, the cheeses will be very soft, but as they age, they will become firmer. If you see some mold appearing, just scrape it off and re-salt the area.

Smoking

• After two weeks, your cheeses should be firm enough to handle. If they are not, I recommend you let them age another week.

• Place one tablespoon of hickory wood chips in the bottom of the stovetop smoker. Place the drip and cooking trays on top of the wood chips. You can now place two cheeses on the cooking rack.

• Heat the smoker over low-medium heat on a stovetop burner. Once the smoke starts to appear, close the smoker's lid completely and smoke the cheese for about 12 minutes. Some smoke will escape from the smoker. That's normal. I usually carefully flip the cheeses halfway through smoking, but it's not essential.

• After 12 minutes, the cheeses should be golden brown. Remove the smoker from heat and let cool for at least 30 minutes. The cheeses will be very soft because of the heat, so be careful when handling them.

• Transfer to a bamboo mat or clean grid and place in the refrigerator. Let it age for one more week, flipping every 2-3 days. If you are patient enough, I recommend you let the cheeses age for 2-3 weeks after the smoking process; the flavors will merge, and the cheese will become even firmer.

• This smoked cheese is delicious on its own, or with crackers, whole-wheat bread, a drizzle of maple syrup, jam, nuts, or fruits. It can also be used in other recipes like grilled cheese sandwiches, risotto, hamburgers, etc.

• To make this recipe, you will need a stovetop smoker. I recommend the Gourmet Mini from Camerons.

Course : Cheese

Cuisine : French