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Why does nobody talk about the sheer time sink of homemade vegan nut cheeses?
I embarked on making an almond-based cheese wheel three days ago. After all the soaking, blending, and culturing, it's still sitting there looking nothing like cheese. Is there a trick to speeding up these processes without sacrificing flavor?
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the_parker1mo ago
Using 2 tablespoons of probiotic powder sped up my cashew cheese culturing significantly. The active cultures kickstart fermentation way faster than waiting for rejuvelac to work. You do sacrifice some of that tangy depth, but it's a fair trade for getting edible cheese in two days. Make sure your nuts are soaked overnight, no shortcuts there. A powerful blender is non-negotiable for that creamy texture everyone wants. Honestly, without these hacks, I'd have given up on vegan cheese years ago.
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andrew1171mo ago
Did you try placing the culturing jar in a slightly warmed oven with the light on? I found that maintaining a stable warm environment shaved a full day off my almond cheese... just keep it around 75-80 degrees and check for that tangy smell. A teaspoon of lemon juice added after blending can mimic some acidity if the culture seems slow. It's still a wait, but less agonizing.
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