Almond Cheeze Log
 
 
This fluffy, mild cheeze is outstanding. I originally posted the recipe for it back in December. I've made it a few times since then, and this time, made a log out of it and brought it to my neighbor's Super Bowl Party. It was a hit. I use the cheese as a pizza topping, sandwich spread, and pasta topper. Just this morning I made breakfast tarts using it. I recommend making a double batch at a time since it does take a while---but I guarantee you'll love it!
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 C blanched almonds
  • ¼ C lemon juice
  • 3 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled (I used minced)
  • 1-1/4 tsp salt
  • Cheesecloth (a thin cotton napkin works great, too)
  • Toasted walnuts or pecans
  • Agave nectar
Directions
  1. First, to blanch the almonds, add them to a small sauce pan and fill with water, just to cover the almonds. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Pinch the skins between your finger and the skins will slide right off. Dry them off well.
  2. Place almonds in a medium bowl and cover with 3″ of water; soak for 24 hours. Drain and rinse twice with running water. Next, puree the almonds, lemon juice, 3 Tbs olive oil, garlic, salt and ½ C of cold water in a food processor until smooth. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with a triple layer of cheesecloth. Spoon mixture into cheesecloth.
  3. Bring the corners and sides of the cheesecloth together and twist around the cheese, squeezing out any excess moisture. Secure with a rubber band. I have found that a cloth napkin works really well for this---even better than cheesecloth.
  4. Chill 12 hours or overnight. Discard any excess liquid—I squeezed a little more out. After it has chilled, spoon it onto a layer of plastic wrap and form a roll, or log.
  5. Unwrap and roll it out onto a plate. Sprinkle the toasted walnuts or pecans on top and then drizzle with agave. Serve with crackers or Grannie Smith apple slices. I love this recipe (from Vegetarian Times) and even though you have to soak and chill a lot, it's worth it.
Recipe by Epicurean Vegan at http://epicureanvegan.com/2011/02/08/almond-cheeze-log/