Cultured Almond Cheese - Gruyère Style

This cultured almond cheese is sharp and strong with a earthy, musky undertone that's hard to describe. The kind of flavour that will have you asking, "Is this *really* vegan?!" 

Really, trying to describe this cheese is just too hard; you just have to try it! The texture, however, is not like Gruyère though. Where the Swiss dairy version is smooth, this version is more crumbly. 

To make this firm cheese, first you have to start with Cultured Almond Cream Cheese. Recipe & video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hqAU...

Store-bought cream cheese will NOT work. But don't worry, making it yourself is super easy. If you can operate a blender, you can make this cheese!

VEGAN CULTURED ALMOND GRUYERE
Printable recipe and full story here: http://www.marystestkitchen.com/almon...

INGREDIENTS
A half batch of Cultured Cultured Almond Cream Cheese, about 1 1/4 cups worth. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hqAU...)
1 heaping teaspoon of nutritional yeast
1 heaping teaspoon of organic miso paste (light or brown)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional), plus more for sprinkling (not optional)

DIRECTIONS
Mix almond cream cheese with nutritional yeast, miso paste and salt (if using) together thoroughly.

Line a bowl with a few layers of clean cheesecloth.

Spoon the cheese mixture into the bowl. Spread it out, smoothing away air pockets. You can also knock it a few times on the counter to reduce air pockets.

Gather the edges of the cloth together and twist at the top to wrap the cheese fairly tightly.

Secure with a clean twist tie, rubber band, or kitchen twine.

Sprinkle salt all over the surface of the cheesecloth around the cheese ball. This will help reduce the chance of spoilage.

Place it on a rack to let it dry on all sides. Some water may drip so use something to catch the drops.

Leave it to culture at room temperature for 1-3 days. You may taste it every so often to check on the flavour development. Use a clean utensil every time to reduce the chance of contamination.

After the cheese gets fairly sharp and more solid, unwrap the cheese and shape it to your preference. Make sure to use clean hands. You can use a spatula to help or use a cheese mold.

Sprinkle salt on all sides of the cheese. This salt is NOT optional. You need it to reduce the chance of mold.

Set it on a rack again to age further for 2-4 days. A brown rind will develop and the flavour will keep developing. You can cover it with a clean cheesecloth to keep away dust.

It's ready to enjoy when the cheese reaches your preferred taste and hardness.

Store the cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or more.

NOTES
When making cultured foods, make sure all your equipment is clean and sterile to reduce the chance of spoilage or contamination.

This cheese will develop a yellowish-brown rind as it drys but should be creamy white on the inside. If discoloration appears, the safest option is to throw it out.







https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa0uRrIQS0I