HARD CHEESE

Equipment: 5x10 cm lined baking dish
Ingredients:

110g of cashews

3-4.5 g of salt

3 g of nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon of miso (optional)

7.5 ml of lemon juice

2.5 ml of white vinegar

10 g of grated deodorized cocoa butter

(make sure to use deodorized cocoa butter and not regular cocoa butter, otherwise your “parmesan” will have a salty chocolate flavor)

Helpful tips for a successful recipe:

I highly recommend using a food processor and not a high-speed blender, as the consistency of the mixture would become too soft, turning the parmesan into a paste rather than something crumbly. If you don’t have a food processor and use a high-speed blender, be careful not to over-blend the cashews in the first step. When adding the liquid ingredients, use the "pulse" function only 3 or 4 times. Make sure the food processor is completely dry before adding the cashews. To prepare the cheese: Put the raw cashews in the food processor. Blend on high speed until finely powdered, for a maximum of 15-25 seconds. Add the salt, miso, and nutritional yeast, then use the “pulse" function for 2-3 times to mix the ingredients well. Add the lemon juice and vinegar (which I recommend measuring with a precision scale that has greater sensitivity, as well as the salt) and blend at medium speed for 5-10 seconds. The mixture will start to look sandy and can compact if squeezed between your fingers. Taste the mixture and, if you prefer a saltier flavor, adjust the salt. If you do, use the “pulse" function once again. Then, transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the melted deodorized cocoa butter and stir well with a spoon to incorporate it; at this point, the cheese should compact and feel slightly oily to the touch. Transfer everything into a parchment-lined baking dish and press down firmly to compact. Place in the fridge for a few hours to allow the cheese to set, after which you can enjoy it sliced or grated. Storage: It keeps for up to 10 days in the fridge or can be frozen for up to 3 months.