4tablespoonsrefined coconut oil optional, see notes
1.5cupsboiling hot water
Instructions
Soak your almonds or cashews in hot water for 15 minutes and then drain.
Meanwhile, place additional water on the stove top or in a kettle to bring to a boil. You will need 1.5 cups of boiled water, so add a little extra to make up for any loss in evaporation.
Find a heatproof dish, bowl, or container (glass, not plastic) that will hold approx. 3 cups of liquid and place beside your blender.
Add everything EXCEPT the water to your blender and once the water is boiling, add 1.5 cups of the boiling water to your blender, on top of all the other ingredients and blend immediately until smooth.
Pour the mixture into your heatproof dish and refrigerate for 3 hours or longer, until solid.
Use a butter knife, or silicone spatula to run around the edges of your vegan cheese and separate from the dish. (See process shots above for a visual.) Then flip it over on a clean surface, such as a cutting board to pop it out of the dish.
Now slice or shred your cheese for use in a variety of dishes.
Notes
Even if you have a high-speed blender, like a Vitamix, for this recipe, I recommend soaking your almonds or cashews. Doing so will help them blend up much faster so you can quickly pour the mixture out before the cheese begins to set.Move quickly!! Once you add the boiling water to your blender, the mixture will start to thicken. Immediately pour the mixture into your heatproof dish once smooth.Make sure to use blanched almonds. If you don't have blanched almonds you can blanch whole almonds yourself, quite easily. For the coconut oil: Make sure to use REFINED only as unrefined has a strong coconut flavour that you don't want in your cheese.For oil free meltable vegan cheese: Skip the coconut oil and replace with ¼ cup of water to make up the liquid portion of the recipe. I’ve tested this vegan cheese with and without the oil (check out the oil free vegan cheese test above) and you absolutely CAN skip it.If you prefer to avoid kappa carrageenan, I’ve read that you may use double the amount (in this case 3 tablespoons) of agar agar instead. Now I haven’t tested it this way and cannot speak to the way it shreds or melts, but several sources state it works, albeit, not as well as kappa.Your meltable vegan cheese will keep refrigerated for 5-7 days. Or freeze (whole or shredded) in a freezer-safe airtight container or zip top bag for up to 3 months.
How to Blanch Almonds
Bring a small pot of water (enough to cover the almonds) to boil. Once boiling, add the almonds and boil for 1 minute. Then drain and rinse with cold water to cool them down, enough to handle. Then pinch the almonds and the skin will come off easily. Recipe inspired by my stretchy vegan mozzarella and method adapted from Vegan Blueberry.