When one is sensitive to gluten and dairy finding a viable substitute for decent baked goods, and especially such things as cheese cake, can be difficult. Someone on Twitter mentioned cashew cream and cashew cream cheese. I found several recipes online and as usual I didn’t have all the ingredients necessary in my kitchen so I made some substitutions. I won’t know until tomorrow how well it turned out but thought I’d write down the recipe just in case it turns out well. Once the cashew cream cheese is ready I’ll turn it into cashew cheese cake (and recipe will be duly posted).

Update: I made this as a ricotta cheese replacement in lasagna and it worked beautifully. I used half cashews and half blanched almonds because that’s what I had on hand.

Cashew Cream Cheese

1 1/2 cups raw cashews
2 Tbs grapeseed oil
1 Tbs coconut milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp tapioca starch
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Rinse cashews and soak at least 12 hours. Drain the cashews and add them to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Blend for several minutes until the mixture is smooth. Wrap the mixture in a cheesecloth and place it in a clean bowl. Let it sit in a lukewarm place for 12 hours. This allows the mixture to ‘rest’ and develop more complex flavors. Remove the cheesecloth. Keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to one week.