Meltable Cheese and Thick Sour Cream Cheese!

So the last few days I have been having a go at making some cheese! I have had Miyoko Schinners book Artisan Vegan Cheese on my book shelf for a while but have been so busy lately that the only thing I have been able to do with it is drool over the photos and wonder at the magic of being able to make my own cheese!
So I had the morning off yesterday and decided to take the plunge! It worked out amazingly and my husband had about a gazillion grilled cheese sandwiches for his tea last night, which means it gets the seal of approval!
Today I thought I would take what I have learned from that first recipe and create my own version. So here is my recipe for Meltable Cheese inspired by Miyoko!

1 Cup of Cashews soaked over night in water
1/2 Cup of Dairy Free Natural Yoghurt
1 Cup of Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
1/4 Cup of Sunflower Oil
1 Heaped tsp of Smooth English Mustard
3 Tbsp of Tapioca Flour

Drain the soaked cashews and add to a processor, next add the yoghurt and blitz until smooth. Then add the nutritional yeast, salt, oil, mustard and tapioca. Blend until combined.
Pour the cheese mixture into a saucepan and on a medium heat mix continuously until it forms a glossy, stringy, shiny mass. this can take any where between 3 and 5 mins but keep stirring until it is really shiny!

Then get a bowl and line it with cling film. Pour the cheese mix into the bowl and allow to cool and 'set' If you want it to be a really firm cutable cheese you wil need to add a setting agent like carrageenan or veggie gel. Because I am only going to use the as a meltable cheese (on pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, or on a moussaka topping) I am happy for it to be slightly brie like in texture and wobbly when cut!
Allow to cool completely and wrap up in extra cling film and refrigerate. It will keep for a week.

Thick Sour Cream Cheese.

I had a cup of soaked cashews left over from the meltable cheese so I thought I would make some cashew cream cheese! This is somewhere between a super thick yoghurt and a cream cheese consistancy. If you want it super thick like Boursin Cheese then you can drain it through a cheese cloth and smoother it in chopped chives! 

Ingredients:

1 Cup Soaked Cashews 

Pinch of Sea Salt

1/2 Cup of Dairy Free Natural Yoghurt

It a blender blend all the ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Pour into a sterilised glass jar and allow to sit at room temperature for 4-6 hours. Give it a taste and check that it is sour enough for you. Then refrigerate. It will keep for 3-4 days.