My Measurements Tips
- T – is for Tablespoon
- t – is for teaspoon
- Yields: 7 inch round mold
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chill Time: Overnight
For The Love of Cheese!
With anticipation of receiving a tour at the 40 Knots Vineyard and Estate Winery, I felt compelled to create this cheese recipe and for my love of cheese. I haven’t met a person that does not love cheese, have you?! The owners Brenda and Layne at 40 Knots were most hospitable during the tour. My husband and I left the winery feeling more knowledgeable about wines, vineyard sustainable agriculture and a wee tipsy. Yes the wine was really good, like incredible! All of the wines we tasted exceeded our expectations. To see this beautiful winery from afar watch Episode 6 here. It is worth a trip to Vancouver Island to experience this incredible vineyard for yourself.
If you are not vegan I want to be 100% honest with you that I struggled to transition away from cheese when I made the choice to go vegan. This cheese love affair is partly due to my French heritage but most likely the chemical called casein, which is found in dairy products which triggers the opioid receptors in the brain. Thanks to the companies who have launched their own variations of vegan cheese, I have been able to create almost every cheesy meal known on the planet by adding these cheese substitutions.
I had no idea that making cheese would be so easy and with this ease my brain is brewing more cheese making ideas. One of my favourites is Brie cheese. There is something about that outside layer of white stuff known as penicillium candidum, which cheesemakers traditionally inoculate the cheese with. The Brie cheese edible mold blooms on the outside of the pasty smooth inside and is then patted down, over and over again to form the moldy rind. Yes this is a lengthy process, but think about those cheeses that have been aging for many years. The older the better, just like an aged bottle of Beaujolais right,… so fantastic!
There are many ways to make vegan cheese and it all depends on how much time we want to spend and what kind to make. Smoky and spicy is another classic favourite of mine. This cheese recipe satisfies both. I enjoyed this cheese two ways; on to a gluten free cracker made by a local company called the Conscious Cracker or and also sliced on a piece of french baguette after aging and drying the cheese for 5 days. Both ways were super Yummy!
MUST HAVES
- electric blender
- 7 inch round springform pan
- cheesecloth or parchment paper
- cooking pot
- whisk
- spatula
WHAT TO GRAB
Blender Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups soy milk
- 1 T miso paste
- 1 T horseradish mustard ( Kozliks brand)
- 1 T diced jalapeno
- 1 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 T garlic powder
- 1/2 t liquid smoke
- 1/2 t smoked paprika
- 1/2 t turmeric
- 1 t sea salt
- 1/4 cup lemon squeeze
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 3 T tapioca flour
- 1 T agar powder
- 1 T potato starch
Oil for Cooking Pot
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
Mold Bottom
- 4 to 6 thin slices jalapeno
- sprinkle of smoked paprika
Cheese Making Instructions
- Add a piece of cheese cloth or parchment paper to the bottom and side of the springform pan. Sprinkle the bottom mold ingredients into the bottom of the pan.
- Pour all the blender ingredients into a blender. Blend on high speed for 1 minute. Set aside.
- Pour all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well with a fork.
- In a cooking pot add the coconut oil and melt on low heat. Once melted add the blender ingredients and whisk fast for 1 minute.
- Add the dry ingredients to the pot and continue whisking for 1 minute. Turn the burner up to medium low heat and continue whisking until the cheese mixture begins to stiffen to a thick pasty texture.
- Pour in the Vegan Smoky Jalapeño Cheese mixture from the pot into the mold and using a spatula press and smooth the surface top. Cover with a lid and chill overnight.
- Remove the mold by opening the springform and carefully remove the mold facing upside down onto the cutting board with jalapeño bottom facing upward.