What is The Deal With Vegan Cheese?

What is Vegan Cheese?

The First-ever non-dairy cheese had its origin in China in the early 16th century. This cheese was made out of whole soy or fermented tofu, in other words. This invention, later on, led to the existence of other various types of vegan cheese that we have today. An example of the many varieties that came along during this period was the homemade vegan cheese, which was made out of margarine, yeast extract, and soy flour. The nature of the margarine will determine the type of cheese that one is likely to have at the end of the whole process.

Harder margarine will lead to the production of hard cheese, which can be sliced into pieces while softer margarine, on the other hand, will result in a softer version of cheese, which can be easily spread out to other kinds of food such as bread. This product of cheese was commercially made available to people who needed it in the late 1980s. As much as this was done at this time, the quality of cheese made at this time was of lesser quality than the regular cheese that we know of. This was because early cheese products were much waxier and resembled a waxy or plastic-like texture.

Later on, in the early 1990s, the only brand of the vegan cheese available in the United States was Soymage. This later on led to the availability of different types of vegan cheese that have increased in number and have diversified across different regions of the world today. It is important to note that during this period, the cost of vegan cheese did cost twice as compared to the price of normal dairy animal cheese.

Since lots of blogs tend to talk about the different kinds of vegan cheeses and how they are prepared, it was equally important to consider how the vegan cream cheese, which is entirely made out of cream, is prepared. The vegan cream cheese is simple and seriously good at the same time. What makes me say that someone would ask? The reason behind this is due to the impressing nature that it will have on you and will surely even impress your friends and guest too.

This product has been tried out with a variety of non-vegans, and the response has been quite positive. This makes it a win both for those who are vegans and non-vegans. The vegan cream cheese can be entirely served with any meal varying from crackers, bread, and all the way to bagels.

What the Vegan Cream Cheese is made of

The vegan cream cheese preparation needs a variety of products that are easily available in the market and might assist in its preparation. The list makes up of simple ingredients that I know most of you have come across and some of this include:

Cashews are responsible for creating the creamy base for this given kind of recipe. Lemon juice, which gives it the tang and plays an important role since it is the basis of flavoring that gives it the cheese kind of flavor. Coconut Cream adds a creamy flavor to it, and also it has a texture that helps in making it possible for it to have the white color that it deserves.

Coconut also helps thicken it once it is placed and stored in the fridge. It is important to note that you do not require to refrigerate the coconut cream at first; hence you can just shake it and pour the out the right amounts that you would tend to consider. Adding white vinegar, salt, and onion powder make it have the creamy, cheesy perfection that it needs.

As much as all these recipes are required to make the best vegan cream cheese, some might end up not being available, and you might consider taking alternatives in ensuring that you get the best out of your vegan cream. Some of the alternatives to making the best vegan cream cheese are discussed as follows.

Alternative Ingredients that can be used to make Vegan Cream Cheese

Use of other kinds of nuts

As much as cashews are preferred for this kind of work, other different kinds of nuts can be used as well. The difference will only come with the texture that is associated with the final product. Cashews are known to produce a smooth texture, and that is why they are preferred as compared to the other types. The taste will as well vary considering the nature of the nuts that you intend to use for the vegan cream cheese.

Use of water instead of coconut cream

Using water for the vegan cream cheese is also an alternative you can consider in case you lack coconut cream. The only disadvantage that arises from water use is that it does not make the vegan cream cheese creamy, and also water use makes the outcome quite thinner when it is put in the fridge.

Use of a processor instead of a blender

As much as this is not associated with the ingredients to use, it basically is a step one is likely to undertake when preparing the vegan cream cheese. At times the blender might not be available for this type of work, or maybe it happened to have broken or spoilt. This should not bother you since you can make use of a food processor in most cases. The final product might not be that smooth as you want, but trust me, the outcome will be much smoother than you would have expected.

If you have a blender, then it would definitely be ideal for the whole process, but a preferred option is always recommended when intending to carry out the vegan cream cheese preparation activity. High powered blenders such as Blendtech and Vitamix, which I would largely advise you guys to use, are some of the best blender types that you can use in preparing a vegan cream cheese. The Vitamix would be great for use because it has a tamper attachment that will help with the recipe as you take time to push down from the top and helps out in the process.

How to Prepare Vegan Cream Cheese

Making the Vegan Cream Cheese is quite simple and will entail a given set of steps that you need to follow to have the best out of it. This article focuses on the various ways through which vegan cream cheese is made and is discussed, as in the context below.

The first step normally entails making use of an hour to boil water and soak cashew nuts in the boiling water. This process should not be boring at all; instead, you can read a book or handle a puzzle as this happens. After soaking the cashews in the hot boiling out, you are then required to drain them into a lender having coconut cream, lemon juice, salt, white vinegar, and onion powder. After that, you are required to blend it and stir in some dried dill.

The dried drill option is an optional step, and you might as well consider switching it with a couple of freshly chopped chives or even dried chives in most cases. Using dried basil is also another option that one would consider. Everyone has a preference for what they are going to use during the final touches. I would make use of the dried drill since I love its flavor from the first time I tasted it.

You can also consider putting it into a container and taking it into the fridge. Putting it into the fridge does create a firmer texture, then it can be ready to be consumed later during the day.

Additional

It is important to note that cashews can be as well left out unsoaked. This depends on what you are working on getting as your final product. The essence of soaking cashews in hot boiling water is to allow them to create quite a thick and creamy cheese vegan. Soaking is also believed to contribute to the color in one way or another and gives the cream an ultimate touch.

Conclusion

Having outlined clearly the process as well as the ingredients and alternatives to choose from, it is now all up to you to go and make the vegan cream cheese that of your liking. Try making the vegan cream cheese several times and in different ways to also experience the different tastes that it has to bring along. Share it out with family and friends and try to find out how they like it done. Best of Luck! In your undertakings.