I have greatly reduced my dairy consumption, and this is partly why you’ve been seeing a lot of plant-based recipes lately on the blog. Now I have to say, despite the multitude of options that exist in vegan cuisine these days, there is one thing I do miss from time to time and that’s heavy cream. It was the base for some of my favorite pasta dish (think creamy porcini mushroom, spinach or a nice rosé sauce) and I although I tried a few plant-based milks, none really blew my away because they were either too processed, too watery or just very strong-tasting.
Then one day, cashew milk came into my life and my quest for vegan heavy cream came to an end.
The great thing about cashews is that they become very soft when they are soaked and once blended, they are reduced into a lustrous cream. It also has a very mild, almost smokey, flavor that doesn’t overpower anything. If you are using it in a savory recipe, add a tsp or two of nutritional yeast and perhaps a pinch of garlic powder. If you need it for a dessert, toss in 1 or 2 medjool dates when you blend it. And if you want to use it as milk for coffee, then add the dates and an extra cup or two of water.
Makes around 3/4 of a liter
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, that you then soak in filtered water for 3-4 hours (up to 12)
- 2 cups filtered water (3 or 4 if you want to make milk for your coffee)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast (if using for savory dishes only)
- 1-2 medjool dates (if using for coffee, baking or a dessert)
Instructions
- Drain the cashews and rinse them very well
- Put them in a high speed blender. Add 2 cups filtered water, salt, nutritional yeast (or dates) and blend until smooth.
- Pour the milky mixture in a saucepan and bring to a boil (a few minutes should suffice), while whisking regularly the bottom of the pan. When it starts to boil, reduce heat and continue whisking for another minute or until you reach the desired consistency.
- Let cool completely, covered, and then store in an air tight container to refrigerate. Keeps 2-3 days.
