Dairy-Free Delights to Make at Home

YOU BETTER BRIELIEVE THAT’S GOUDA!

Where to find the best vegan cheese, butter, ice cream, and more? Your place! Acclaimed chef Miyoko Schinner won over cheese fanatics with her delectable line, and now she’s showing home cooks how to whip up over 75 of her favorite dairy-free treats. In her latest cookbook, The Vegan Creamery, Miyoko spills the beans on how to create perfect truffle cheese, feta, mascarpone, and more. Enjoy these adapted selections, then goat your hands on them all at the PETA Shop.

Reggie ‘Goat’ Cheese

Makes 12 oz

YOU’LL NEED
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup hemp hearts
3 cups water
1/2 to 1 tsp citric acid
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 tsp vegan culture, either mesophilic or thermophilic
Minced fresh or dried herbs

METHOD
• Soak the almonds in cold water for 8 hours, then drain and rinse them.

• In a blender, combine the almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, and water and process on high speed for about 1 minute, until as creamy as possible. Pour the mixture into a nut milk bag and squeeze to extract the milk into a medium saucepan. (Reserve the pulp for another use; see cookbook for recipes.)

• Set the saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom and sides with a silicone spatula as curds form. When it reaches 200°F, add the citric acid (more or less, depending on desired tanginess) and stir gently. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to sit for an hour or so until the temperature falls to 86°F.

• Stir in the salt and culture. Using a rubber band, attach a piece of cheesecloth over a wide-mouth jar so that it drapes into the jar a bit. Pour the cheese into the cheesecloth, and cover it with the hanging edge of the cheesecloth. Set it in a warm place where it can continue to drain at an ambient temperature around 90 degrees for 12 to 16 hours, until it reaches a very low pH, around 3.8.

• Put the cheese (still draining) in the refrigerator up to 24 hours, until it is firm enough to roll into a log using plastic wrap. After shaping, roll it in herbs. Store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

Thick Oat-Cashew Yogurt

Makes 5 cups

YOU’LL NEED
4 cups water
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup cashews
1/4 tsp vegan yogurt culture

METHOD
• In a blender, combine the water and oats and process for 1 minute. Pour the mixture through a nut milk bag and squeeze to extract the milk into a bowl.

• Return the milk to the blender, add the cashews, and process until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan and heat, stirring, until it thickens to the consistency of gravy (168° to 175°F).

• Transfer the mixture to a sterilized jar, cover loosely, and refrigerate until it has cooled to 110°F or below.

• Stir in the yogurt culture, then keep in a warm place where it will hold a temperature between 90° and 110°F for 8 to 16 hours, until it’s as tangy as you like. It will further thicken when chilled. Store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

Mango Mint Gelato

Makes 1 quart

YOU’LL NEED
3/4 cup watermelon seed kernels
2 cups water
1 Tbsp maple syrup or 1 date
Scant pinch of sea salt
2 cups mango pieces, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup organic sugar
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves

METHOD
• Make watermelon seed kernel milk by processing the watermelon seeds in a blender on high speed for 1 minute to produce a cornmeal-like flour. Add the water, maple syrup or date, and salt and blend until creamy, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture into a nut milk bag and squeeze to extract the milk.

• Add the milk back to the blender. Add the mango, sugar, and lemon zest and process until smooth. Add the mint and pulse a few times to mince. Freeze in a plastic container or churn in an ice cream maker.