THIS IS IT GUYS! The vegan cheese you have been looking for. Sharp, creamy with a white and flowery rind. Before going any further, be aware this is not a quick recipe, don’t expect to have a cheese ready tonight. The whole process will take you about three weeks. BUT: It is totally worth it!
I didn’t find any recipe online for achieving camembert-style nut cheese, so it took me a lot of research and testing before finally finding how to make a nut cheese that has the taste and texture of a real camembert. Living in France I ate quite a lot of artisanal cheese before going vegan and I can tell you this one seriously taste like a real one.
This cheese contains only FIVE ingredients: raw cashews, cultures, filtered water, salt and the secret ingredient for the rind: Penicillium Candidum.
I try to keep my recipes easy, with simple ingredients everyone has in their pantry but unfortunately, to achieve such results you will need to get your hands on some penicillium. You can find it online here, or just ask an artisan cheese maker to sell you some. If you are located in Europe, you can find vegan cultures, supplies and everything you need to make vegan cheeses on Cashewbert.
Penicillium is a mold that grows on camembert/brie and gives it a white, soft crust. It also adds a lot to the taste by giving a mushroom-y flavor. It is usually mixed into the ingredients before being placed into the molds, or sprayed on the outside after the cheeses have been removed from the molds. I used the first method here, which gives the best result in my opinion.
Once the cashews have soaked for at least 5 hours, you place them in a blender with the mold and add just enough water to get a smooth, yet thick consistency. You also need to add the probiotic powder, it will allow the cashew cheese to ferment and will be responsible for the sour/sharp taste.
Your goal is to use as least water as possible, you don’t want something too liquid, this is important since the more liquid you use, the longer it will take to firm up. In case you don’t have a powerful blender I recommend using your food processor.
As you can see below, the fermentation has started after about 24h. Bubbles will have form and the mixture will be fluffy and airy. That’s when you can taste it to see if it’s sharp enough for you. In my opinion, one day of fermentation is enough at this stage since it will age for another 3 weeks later. Don’t worry if you don’t get the air bubbles, it’s not always visible. Taste it and if it’s slightly sour you are on the right track.
At this point, you can just add some chopped chives and use it as cream cheese if you want. But please don’t stop here, stay with me!
The hardest part of the work is done now, it was pretty easy right?. The next step is to put the cashew “dough” in the fridge for at least 4 hours so it firms up a little bit and will be easier to work with. You can now fill 3 small springform pans with the dough. Place in the fridge for 24 hours.
The following morning, unmold the cheeses, and place them on parchment paper on a baking sheet. They will be very soft, almost like a cream cheese.
The aging should be done in a room with a temperature of about 52-56 degrees with a little bit of humidity. If you don’t have that in your house, you can definitely use your refrigerator, it will just take longer to age. In this case you want to put the cheeses in a box in the warmest area of your refrigerator.
You will have to flip the cheeses daily for the next 3 weeks, the first 3 days it will be pretty tricky since they will be very soft but don’t worry they will firm up as time passes. At day 4 you will have to salt the exterior of the cheeses and rub gently the salt with your fingers. Salt is really important to keep bad mold from growing and will obviously improve the taste. Once the cheeses are firmer you can move them to a sushi mat or a clean grid. This is essential to let the mold grow at the bottom of the cheese.
The mold will start to appear after 5 days. After about 14 days, your cheeses should be covered with white mold, now they look like camemberts! Once they are completely covered with mold you can wrap them and place them in the refrigerator for at least three days. The longer you let them age, the stronger the taste. I find that after 4 days they are already really tasty and strong enough.
The cheese is soft on the inside and a little firmer on the edges, just like a real camembert.
This cheese is raw and packed with healthy fats from the cashews.
Enjoy with french bread, fig chutney, caramelized walnuts, or even a drizzle of pure maple syrup if you are feeling decadent. This cheese will surely please any cheese lover and impress your non-vegan friends!
This camembert pairs well with: Cider, champagne, Cabernet Sauvignon, beer or a good apple juice if not drinking alcohol.
Let me know in the comments if you try the recipe and how it turns out for you! Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have questions!
Update: Many people have been making this cheese without giving any credit back and labelling it as their own. I worked really hard to create this recipe and had to make a ton of experiments before releasing it, please give credit by tagging @fullofplants on Instagram or at least linking to this website.
Please note: The links provided here for Penicillium Candidum may not be redirect to a fully vegan product. If you want to find a 100% vegan one, you can get it on cashewbert.com if you are located in Europe. For USA and other countries, I can’t give you a link as it seems harder to find, you will have to make your own research to find a vegan one. Be aware that non-vegan ones are grown on lactose, meaning it contains *traces* of lactose. Considering the amount used, you could still consider your cheese 99,99% vegan. It’s up to you to choose which one fits your beliefs best.
Vegan Aged Camembert Cheese
The best vegan aged cheese. It tastes just like a real camembert and has a white and flowery rind!
Yield: 3 Cheeses 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- 4 cups raw cashews
- 8 capsules vegan probiotic (Acidophilus) or 1/8 tsp mesophilic
- 8–10 tbsp filtered water
- 4 drops (1/8 tsp) of penicillium candidum
- 2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
The day before
- Soak the cashews in filtered water for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Forming the cheese
- Drain the cashews and place them in a large glass bowl. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, pour the water directly onto the cashews. Let sit 1-2 minutes and drain the cashews again. This step will help kill possible bacterias.
- Place the cashews in the bowl of a blender or food processor. Add 8 tablespoons of filtered water. Blend on high speed, scraping down the sides from time to time, until you get a very smooth and thick mixture. This step might take about 10 minutes depending on your blender.
- Open the probiotic capsules and add the powder to the bowl.
- Add the penicillium candidum, just 4 drops is enough (about 1/8 tsp). If your penicillium candidum is in powdered form, please check the notes.
- Blend on high speed for another 10-15 seconds.
- The cashew cream should be smooth but thick. If needed, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until smooth. Do not add too much water, you want to use at least as possible.
- Transfer the mixture into a cheesecloth and pull it tight. Add a weight above it and let drain at room temperature for at least 10 hours. I placed the cheesecloth in a colander on top of a bowl. Note: you can skip this step if you cashew cream is already very thick.
- Transfer the cashew cream to a clean bowl, cover with plastic film to touch, and let sit at room temperature for one day, this step is important to let the cheese ferment.
- The following day, place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. The cashew cream will firm up a bit and become easier to work with.
- After that, line a clean baking sheet or flat plate with parchment paper. Place 3 small springform pans (I used 4-inches pans) on the baking sheet.
- Cut strips of parchment paper and lay them in the springform pans. You want to cover the sides of the springform pans, you can also use plastic film if you prefer. The goal is to prevent the cheese to touch the metal. Fill each pan with the mixture and press it down using plastic film so it doesn’t stick to your hands.
Aging
- Cover each cheese with a bowl or plastic box. This is essential to prevent the cheeses from drying. Let sit in a room at a temperature of about 52-56 degrees Fahrenheit (11-13°C). You can also age them in a refrigerator, it might just take a little longer for the mold to grow. You will age the cheeses, covered, at this temperature for the next two weeks. Do not store them at a temperature higher than 56°F (13°C).
- Every day for the next 3 days, carefully flip the cheeses using a small plate. The cheeses will still be very soft, like cream cheese. Don’t worry they will be easier to work with after four days.
- On day 4, carefully remove the springform pans and sprinkle the salt over the top of the cheeses, turn them over and sprinkle the bottom and sides with more salt.
- Continue to flip the cheeses everyday, always use clean hands or work with a plastic film to be sure you are not touching the cheese.
- After 7 days, they should be a little bit harder and you should be able to place them on a bamboo mat.
- Flip them everyday for the next week. The mold will appear after 5-7 days and continue to grow until they are fully covered with a white rind.
- After 2 weeks, wrap the cheeses in parchment paper or cheese paper and place them in the refrigerator for at least 2 days. The longer you let them age in the refrigerator, the stronger the taste.
- Enjoy with french bread, fresh figs or walnuts!
- The cheese will keep for at least 1 month in the refrigerator.
Notes
If you used a small amount of water and the mixture is already really thick, the draining step is not essential.
Penicillium Candidum can be found in the powdered and liquid form. Both work the same, I usually use 1/8 tsp when liquid, or 1/16 tsp when in powder.
If your cheeses are still really soft after 6 days, you can move them to a place with proper air circulation for one to two days to help them dry a little bit.
If you don’t have a room at a temperature of 52-56 degrees Fahrenheit, feel free to place the cheese in your refrigerator, be aware it will take longer to firm up. The mold may take longer to appear too.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of a cheese (about 1 oz)
- Calories: 98
- Sugar: 1g
- Fat: 8.5g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 3.2g
This is unbelievable! Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to try it out. I was always a sucker for those rinded cheeses. Btw, your photos are stunning too.
Thanks Shannon!
Let me know how it turns out!
Hi, Thomas. It’s been a week since I salted the cheese, and there’s little sign of the rind growing. Shall I re-salt the cheese? Thank you x
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I would not recommend to re-salt the cheese, or they will be too salty in the end. Are you aging the cheeses in your refrigerator? It usually takes more time when aging in a refrigerator.
If I understand correctly, the 2 tsp salt called for in the recipe is supposed to be used to salt the outside of all 3 cheeses, right? This is my first time making something like this and I wanted to be sure that I salt the cheeses appropriately. Thanks for your help with all of my questions!
You are correct, the salt is just to salt the exterior. 2 teaspoons is an estimation, basically you want to sprinkle the exterior and rub with your fingers to be sure all the exterior is salted.
Hi Thomas,
I made a mistake and added the salt to the mix before blending everything together, and started aging the cheeses like that . I just realized I wasn’t supposed to do this and I’ve been aging for about 3 days now. Will it still work even if they will be too salty in the end or will it fail bc of the salt?
Hi Maria,
Yes it will still work but they might be a bit too salty.
I should mention, in addition to my previous comment about salting the cheeses that I’m making both the Camembert and blue cheeses
How do I contact you thomas? I’m on day 16 of creating my Camembert, mould is growing beautifully, but patchy…. do I salt them more ?
Hilary
Hi Hilary, that’s okay, the mold does not always grow uniformly, wait a a few more days and the white mold should cover the whole cheese. Keep me updated!
hej! my mold is not growing any further.. what should I do?? I’ve let the cheese sit for about two weeks longer but it’s not really getting more… any thoughts?
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If it’s not growing further it’s probably because your cheese has dried too quickly on the outside. Did you keep them in a container or cheese box? Were they in the fridge?
hi thomas, do you know where i can find the candidum out of us? there is no shipping to new zealand, thankss
Hi Mara,
Unfortunately I have no idea where you can find penicillium candidum in New-Zealand, you might have to do some research, or ask artisan cheese makers if you have some near you.
Hi, Thomas. I am having great luck with my blue cheese and am not starting to read the chatting on camembert. Mara’s question brings to mind the question I had about starter for the blue cheese — using a non-vegan starter, i.e., mixing actual blue cheese into the cashew s. It worked for me with the blue cheese. Could you do the same thing for the camembert — blend some camembert with the cashew mixture? How much? A couple of tablespoons? That is my plan, and it might solve Mara’s problem. Theoretically it should work. What are your thoughts?
Yes you can do the same with camembert, I think you could even just place your cashew cheese on a real camembert for a few days and the mold should transfer pretty quickly (I never tried, just a guess). Regarding the amount, I would recommend 1 tbsp of white rind pieces (so you take mostly the mold, not the dairy part).
hi Thomas,
your thought was right!
It just happened to me to put together a rest of camembert or brie with some other soft cheese, into a box with a lid on and, in a few days into the fridge, the humidity of the softer cheese stimulated the growth of more white mold both on the camembert AND on the softer cheese!
Great! 🙂 Yes, penicillium transfers very easily.
Hi Mara, I live in Aus and asked a cheese shop where I could buy some and they were really helpful, if you have local cheese makers you should be able to get it somewhere in NZ. I am visiting your beautiful country next year so if all else fails let me know and I can bring you some
Chris. Baker, I hope Mara can find her mold for cheese but I’m glowing from your offer to bring her some when you visit NZ. There’s hope for this world and people like you are why.
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So nice to read your offer Chris.
Hi Mara. I live in New Zealand (South Island) and I’ve been able to purchase plant based ‘mould’ for my blue vein and camembert from https://www.cheesemaking.com.au/shop/ There were no issues with MPI and the parcel took 6 days to get here. They certainly weren’t still frozen when they arrived. I popped them into my freezer straight away and they have worked perfectly for me. Let me know how you get on.
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You can get in Australia and I’m pretty sure they would ship to NZ but can’t be sure. I just checked their site, but they’re out of stock right now. Maybe keep checking or search online for a NZ outlet. I just googled buy penicillium candidum in Australia. Hope that helps 🙂 http://greenlivingaustralia.com.au/
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Can’t see the date you posted on here…could be years ago! lol…anyway…Country Trading in Nelson sells the mold mix..very cheap at about $9 and $4 or so to ship to me overnight in Christchurch..maybe a little more for North Island. I did find some in Australia that ships too..it cost $15 but the shpping was $22! think they were called little green something! (just in case you can’t get any at country trading)
Mara I am not sure whether you have found Penicillium Candidum in NZ but the source of all of these bacteria in Australia comes from NZ from Mad Millie Hope it helps 🙂
Hi Mara. I live in New Zealand and was able to purchase my moulds from https://www.cheesemaking.com.au/product-category/vegan-cultures/ I bought them about 4 weeks ago but when I’ve checked their website I’ve seen that a lot of the vegan products are out of stock at the moment
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Can I use walnuts instead? as i don’t eat cashews
I’m afraid it won’t work well because walnuts have a strong taste and can go rancid very quickly.
How about using pecans?
I doubt it will work, you probably won’t get a thick and creamy texture with pecans. I think they would go rancid very quickly but I have never tried so I can’t say for sure.
Hello! Try Pine nuts, very expensive, but creemy and fatty.
I noticed that mold is growing on the bamboo mat, does this mean it’s bad mold growing on the mat as well as the cheese? It’s white and fluffy and has been 3.5 weeks. I just noticed the mold in the mat.
Yes it’s normal, this sneaky white mold grows everywhere!
Thanks, that is good to know that the mold grows everywhere. When I saw it was growing on the mat I wrapped the cheese in parchment paper. I think it should go another few days in the box to be covered more fully. Am I able to put it back on the mat to grow more mold or have I stopped the process by wrapping it in parchment paper? Hoping to be able to transfer it back for a few days.
Yes you can put it back on the mat, no problem.
Hi Thomas
It’s been 2 1/2 weeks (in the fridge) and there’s still a bit in the middle on both sides that isn’t covered in white mild and there’s a bit of pink something (mold ? bacteria? growing there instead. I’ve put more salt on those areas just in case, is this the right move? What should I do?
Camille
Hi Camille,
Pink is not good mold, you were right to re-salt the areas. What I usually recommend doing is to scrape off the bad mold before resalting.
hi tomas, can you check this link for me? they make international shipping
i cant send you the link, i found on ebay, is a powder, and in the recipe you say drops, is the same? many thanks
I also give instructions on how to use powder in the recipe, both work great.
Thanks, Thomas for all your hard work perfecting the process! It is yummy! I have used roasted cashews and they give the cheese a richer flavor. Now to try your blue cheese recipe!
Thanks!
David
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Glad to hear it worked! 🙂
The blue cheese ages nicely with the roasted cashews and gets sharp (and stinky!)! And some of the Camembert mold wandered over to my blue cheese since I age them in the same fridge. The blue is my favorite.
Thanks, Thomas, for your hard work and sharing the excellent recipes!
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Glad to hear it worked with roasted cashews!
Hello mine have gone a bit furry are they still OK to eat? When I rub them the fur disappears. I used the salt rub as advised. Grateful for any advice thanks
Hi Thomas, I am new to this site. I am very excited to see that there is actually a cheese that is aged like dairy cheeses. I am so impressed with the process and am pleased to see that no nutritional yeast or agar agar is used. I tried some vegan cheese recipes which contained these ingredients, and found them most unpalatable. I would like to make one request though = have you attempted to make an aged gouda or cheddar yet? I would be most interested to hear if you are working on it. Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful recipes. They are all so yummy looking and I cannot wait to get stuck in and make some.
Hi Linda,
Thanks! I haven’t tried making a gouda or cheddar yet, those don’t require specific cultures but the curds are cooked. This process is not really possible with cashew-based cheeses.
Thank you for your input. Perhaps we might be able to make some real gouda and cheddar type cheeses with other products? I would be interested in making these, if they are similar to the dairy type cheeses. Do you use soya milk to do this maybe? Carry on the great work, Thomas. I have the utmost admiration for you and your dedication.
I still haven’t found a way to make gouda/cheddar. It’s not possible to curdle plant-based milks with the usual rennet, it requires specific enzymes (transglutaminase) to do so. I’m not fully satisfied with the results yet as it yields slightly dryer/less creamy cheeses.
Wow Thomas! This is the best vegan cheese recipe I have seen. It looks absolutely amazing. I will be giving it a try at some point soon. I have my evening planned already….camembert, delicious seedy crackers, homemade chutney and a massive glass of red wine. I cannot wait :O)
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Glad you like it Mel! It took me several tries before finding the final recipe.
And yes, it is really delicious with chutney or jam, it’s also great with apple slices or grapes!
Awesome I am looking to making this, thank you heaps for your fanastic recipe ☺
You’re welcome! I’m sure you will love it!
Your pictures are absolutely gorgeous and I imagine this is so delicious!!
Thanks! Your PB chocolate chip cookie pancakes are delicious by the way!
OMG – this is wonderful – and here I’m still in baby class learning how to work with agar for a sliceable cheese – you take masters honors! Any chance you might do a Brie? That’s my favorite!
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Glad to hear you like it! The difference between brie and camembert is pretty subtle, the brie has more fat content since it’s made with milk + cream. I might work on a recipe in the future 😉
hello, by the way,if you can make something tasting like Roquefort or Stilton you deserve an award
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I hope to claim that award soon, I plan to release that recipe as soon as I finalize some things
I’m not sure about Roquefort, I have been working on blue cheese but it’s not perfect yet. I also think the recipe might be too complicated and time consuming (roquefort needs to be aged for at least 2 months to get a nice and sharp flavor).
This is good to know. I used a Roquefort to make my blue cheese. I will let it sit at least 8 weeks.
Hi
I will take part in a Roquefort test session this week. Different recipes of vegan cheese in a research project at SLU, Uppsala where they try to produce vegan cheese with Roquefort culture – looking forward! 😀
Thomas. Have you ever tried making a pungent feta cheese, like the bulgarian white cheese?
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Not yet!
Given your vegan cheese-making expertise (and you are pretty good!) would you have an idea, a theory, on how to make this? Or maybe you found someone else who makes vegan feta cheeses successfully? :-)) Thanks again for your hard work and making it publicly available – it’s an amazing contribution!
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I’m far from being an expert (I’ve just successfully made Thomas’s wonderful blue cheese for the first time and have some camembert ripening, but from what I gather it comes down to the cultures. Google “FETA-MESOPHILIC MT1” and you’ll find the appropriate bacteria for producing a pungent cheese.
Feta is also typically brined. Again, you can find instructions for dairy-based feta online and replicate that process.
You’ve given me the notion to try this out. Thank you!
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I can’t believe this, I think I died and now I’m in vegan cheese heaven 😀
This is crazy good, I’m so happy I found this recipe! Making it as soon as I get that penicillium candidum.
Can’t wait to hear how yours turns out!
Oh my!!! This looks so unbelievably fantastic! I lived in Paris for 3 years before I was vegan, and I prided myself on knowing good cheese. Even with all the amazing vegan cheeses that have come out in the past few years, nothing has looked as “real” as this one! I have to get all the ingredients to try this out. Great job!!!
I tried many “vegan” cheeses too, and most of them are made with flavoring or nutritional yeast, they don’t taste like real cheese at all. I’m sure you will love this one!
Wow! This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try.
Let me know if you try to make a vegan blue cheese! I would die for it 🙂
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Thanks!
I have been working on a blue cheese recipe but I’m not happy with it for the moment. Testing takes a lot of time since blue cheeses need to be aged for about two months.
Thomas, have you made any progress on a blue cheese recipe? I’ve bought the mold and am anxious to try, but impossible to find a recipe!
Nancy, it took me several months to create the camembert recipe so it will also take a while to create the blue cheese one 🙂
I have some (my third test) that are aging in my fridge right now but they won’t be ready before at least 2 months, and I can’t tell how they will turn out for the moment, but I have high hopes! Don’t worry as soon as I have a recipe that I’m happy with I will share it, I just want it to be perfect and super tasty!
I am looking forward to leaving a comment about how amazing this is! I’d love to have it ready for my son’s picnic style birthday party mid-August. Thank you for all the time and effort you’ve put into creating this recipe. And as for a blue cheese recipe….can hardly wait. If anyone can do it, you can.
This is unbelievable !! I am in complete state of surprise and admiration for this stunning looking cheese. You did an amazing job my friend and I cannot wait to see more of your work!!
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Thank you Silvia!
This looks absolutely amazing and u have shared your post widely. I also want you to know I’m having a Twitter fight right now on your behalf with a nutbag (no offense to nuts) dairy farmer who’s whining about this not being “real” cheese. Viva la vegan cheese!
Glad you like it Leinana!
Haha yes, “real” cheese makers don’t like when we call it cheese when it’s made with cashews 😉 Just like the dairy industry is against calling almond “milk”. It tastes exactly like cheese so cheese it is for me!
How much is 5 drops of penicillium? I can buy 5g on amazon germany!?
Hey Eva, I just checked and you can buy penicillium in Germany here: http://www.oberacker.de/product_info.php?cPath=37_47&products_id=2743&osCsid=fq7gfg8fqglrfmdmrdb7upckk1
A little goes a long way!
You can also get in Germany a 2 dosis container for much cheaper here. http://www.kaesereibedarf-leidinger.com/epages/62318676.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62318676/Products/005HEC
all their cultures marked as “Sigma” are vegan
hey Anderson, how do you know these specific cultures (marked as “sigma”) are not grown on lactose or any other animal-based product? thanks!
Hi Thomas,
I have been looking for the penicillium candidum. I have found Choosit”s PC Neige LYO 10 D. Is that the right one?
And also I am looking for the P Roqueforti to use with your amazing looking Blue Cheese. The problem I am having with this is that I have found too many different strains i.e., roqueforti PV, PS, PA, PJ, PR1, and PR3, and I don’t know what to pick. I seem to be very late to this party 🙁 because your links have outdated. I would really appreciate if you would help me. Thanks in advance! I want you to know how truly grateful I am for all the work you have put in, and for your generosity in sharing.
Hello! This recipe looks fantastic!
I have a question though – how do you make a sterilized water? I thought I could buy it but then I found out it is only being sold in pharmacies and you need prescription from a doc. So this is no go for me. Otherwise, you can’t buy it.
I read that I need a pressure cooker to make sterilized water but we do not have one – is there any other way to make sterilized water?
What about bottled water for infants? Would that be ok?
Thank you 🙂
K.
When I say sterilized water I just mean boiled (tap) water that you let cool down. You can also use basic bottled water, or even filtered water, no problem with that. I will edit the recipe to make it clearer, thanks!
I’m so excited to try this recipe, I plan to start tomorrow! I am wondering when to remove the springform pans? Do you only use them momentarily to get the shape right, or do they get flipped while still in the springform pans? Many thanks for your dedication to artisan vegan cheese, it’s much appreciated.
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Lucy, I usually remove the springform pans when I salt the cheeses, so after about 3 days, that way they are easier to flip. Just make sure the mixture is not touching directly the pans or it will stick to it (cover the inside of your springform pans with a parchment paper strip). Hope this helps! Feel free to ask if you have other questions, I can’t wait to hear what you think about the final result!
I am finally facing my fears and trying out this recipe! Very excited. Wondering if the spring form pan is absolutely necessary or if I could achieve the same result in a similar size/shape container lined with parchment paper/plastic wrap?
Thanks!
The springform pan is just to shape the cheese, you can use any container you have on hand.
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(d’autres à venir dès que j’aurai testé par moi-même ! 🙂 )
Sooooooo … Mine is in its 12th day of the 3-week “affinement” in the fridge 🙂
It is perfectly firm now and half of it is already covered with a white mold so I suppose it’s on the right way …
( Waiting is actually the hardest part !!! )
Have you tried with other nuts than cashews ?
Awesome! You are one the right track 😉
Yes the mold is not really appearing uniformly at first, but after a while it will cover the whole cheese.
I never tried using other nuts, I’m wondering if almonds or macadamia would be as creamy as cashews when blended. That’s something I will try in the future for sure!
Kite Hill sells a very good Almond Camembert in the US. I suspect your recipe would work perfectly with Almond. Removing the almond skin is a pain though. I also find cashews taste more like I remember milk tasting.
Kite Hill are using a different technique, they are not using whole nuts but almond milk and make it curdle. I never tried with blanched almonds but I think it might result in a more grainy cheese.
Happy Cheeze from Germany sells this type of cashew based camembert with the name of Happy White, I know they also export to France.
I’ve been working on an improved version of it and been quite successful, I also have an ongoing recipe but already successful for blue cheese and I’m working on some non cashew version of it. I can share some tips but I will only disclose it to the public after I get some things sorted, so if you are interested in details, only privately.
Cheers and thanks for sharing your tips
Hello !
I am interested by your recipe of blue vegan cheese, I was thinking already about making one. I imagine it is quite the same process but with different cultures ?
Is there a link to your recipe or something like this ?
Thank you !
Not yet Manon, I’m working on that. I use quite a few special products for the break of fats and proteins to make it work, so I am trying to find out only which ingredients are strictly necessary before I can share. I’m also working on a vegan cheese manual on how to make different variations of those cheese (by type of fermentation instead of different spices).
Just a good update, using these methods you would be able to get a vegan blue cheese between 1 and 2 months, much faster then milk based. I will try to set up a mailing list for those who are interested.
In case you can’t wait and want to play along, I use products like coconut cream for added fat (blue mold consumes also fat), transglutaminase enzyme to get it firmer with the added liquid without trapping the water like you would by adding agar or other gum and I use papain to help to break the proteins, among other ingredients. Also, I use real cheese cultures (vegan based) and not just an acid lactic bacteria as it will help to give more complex flavors. But as I said, it’s still on heavy research and I hope to give a step by step process soon.
Anderson, I would love to be on your list as blue cheese is my favorite. Please let me know how to subscribe. Many thanks!
Anderson, I would love to be on your list! Very exciting.
I would love to be added to this list too!
Oh, me too please!! 🙂
I would like to be on this email list as well. Thanks!
Anderson, I would also like to be added to your email list. Although I’m new to the table, I’m really finding the whole vegan cheese research fascinating. I’m sure that in the not so far future, Vegan cheese will taste (and replace) as perfect as dairy cheese without the cruelty. Thank you for moving the effort forward.
I would love to me on the mailing-list;-)
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And can you share the name of the vagan cheese book?
I would love to know more about your method. How can we connect privately?
So excited to try this!
One question however about the probiotic capsules. Can is be any vegan probiotic capsule? IF not, what is it about the one you provided a link to?
Thank you for your help!
Any probiotic should work!
Rachel,
Here’s a link to show you the probiotic capsules I’m using for this recipe: http://www.vitaminlife.com/index/page/product/product_id/13501/product_name/Dairy+Free+Acidophilus+With+Pectin?gclid=Cj0KEQjw4fy_BRCX7b6rq_WZgI0BEiQAl78nd5avIzHf6Ypsf3kUkELo6Sb9eEAaajEmI9lrNxQEe2waArEN8P8HAQ The capsules slide off into 2 pieces really easy! I bought a container of them from Whole Foods.
Hi, I was just finding out about those cultures as well! Glad to see I’m on the right track. 🙂 The penicillium, os that vegan? Most of the cheese cultures I ask my supplier about are grown on lactose. 🙁
Anyway, I’m going to start experimenting soon! Thanks!
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With the penicillium candidum, it’s just a fungus right? It’s an all vegan powder?
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Exactly, it’s a fungus. There is very little information about where it’s coming from but I’m pretty sure it’s plant-based.
Adding my 2 cents, it really depends on the provider. Many would be grown on lactose as it’s cheaper for the industry, but many bigger companies would use other types of sugar instead like Maltodextrin. From my experience, providers are usually very helpful to inform. But the one Thomas used, yes. Danisco liquid cultures are vegan and also some powder cultures from them.
Sorry, but it is NOT vegan.
Thomas kindly gave me a link for vegan penicillium as it is pretty hard to find, especially here in France where they seem to be all lactose-grown. Danisco is not always vegan so you have to get the spec sheet to see in the “allergen” column whether it is lactose based or not.
The link you provided on this site is the vegan Penicillium candidum, correct? I’ve been having the same issue with them saying they use lactose in the processing. 🙁 Even in the link that is provided here to the Amazon product, in the Q&A section on the product description the seller says that the distributor mentions using lactose.
The actual link seems to redirect to a non-vegan one, I can’t keep up updating the links as it changes very regularly. As I said in some other comments, considering the amount used you could still consider your cheeses 99.9% vegan by getting one that was *grown* on lactose, meaning it contains onle traces of it. I’m going to add a disclaimer at the end of the recipe to make things clearer.
Thanks for being so generous and sharing this incredible recipe!
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Hi Thomas,
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Just curious if you know the shelf life of this cheese after its finished. I would love to make a few and store some in the fridge (or possibly freezer?) for later.
Cheers!
Hey Tim,
I kept one camembert for over a month and a half in the fridge and it was still really good, I actually thought it tasted better than before. It just becomes a little bit firmer. I’m not sure about keeping it in the freezer though, I guess it would work.
Hi Thomas,
can’t wait to try this, it looks awesome!
One question: does this camembert melt? In pre-vegan times, I loved to toss some camembert and cream in a pan and heat it up for a delicious sauce. But I’m afraid it won’t melt because it lacks fat? Maybe you tried already 🙂
Best regards from Germany,
Anja
Hi Anja,
Thanks! Unfortunately this camembert does not melt since it’s made mostly of cashews. I don’t think it’s because of the lack of fat though since there is already a lot of fat in cashews.
Well, bummer. Guess I’ll just chop it to little pieces and put it on some noodles anyway 😀
Anja if you’re looking for a melty one try this one from Bosh.https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/camembosh
What makes Camembert to melt is the activity of the fungus on the milk proteins. Sadly casein has quite meltable unique properties.
I get a creamy camembert by adding about 10% to 20% of coconut cream (use only from a refrigerated coconut milk can). It does make it a bit harder to dry it out, so be aware 🙂
Thanks for the additional information Anderson!
Is the coconut flavor perceptible in your camembert?
Have you thought about using refined coconut oil instead of coconut cream Anderson?
That way you would get that fatty/creaminess, but it would be firmer?
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Also with the refined, there is no coconut flavor. Would love to know the answer also, Anderson
Why not use unscented coconut oil?
Have you tried these with macademia nuts or something nut-free like sunflower seeds? I’m deadly allergic to cashews, and being French Canadian, a cheese like this one would definitely bring me back to my cultural roots. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Unfortunately I never tried it with macadamia nuts so I’m not sure if it would work. I would love to know the results if someone tries it though 🙂
Hi- just wondering how the biochemistry checks out with the penicillin and the nuts- nuts have a history of becoming extremely toxic with some moulds? Do you definitely know this is safe?
Hi Lucy, there is no problem with penicillium and nuts, I’m still here to prove it! And I can tell you I ate of lot of vegan camemberts 😉
I also heard some new companies are making vegan cheeses the same way, so again you can assume it’s totally safe.
Miyoko Schinner has a fantastic recipe that does not call for any specialty ingredients and it turns out fantastic. She is the queen on vegan cheese maybe check her out.
Unfortunately you won’t be able to achieve the same flavor and get the white/flowering rind without this *special* ingredient (penicillium candidum). Obviously you can make vegan cheese just with cashews and cultures though, it will just taste different 😉
That’s a bit of a rude comment don’t you think?
Thomas has made a PROPER cheese the traditional way, as opposed to one that pretends to be a camembert rolled in tapioca flour, and you are rude enough to say maybe he should check out Miyoko’s book because she’s the expert!
Go and make Miyoko’s then…it looks nothing like a real camenbert though…
Really, think before you post a comment!
People with blogs spend a LONG time working on their stuff and writing up posts all to share for free with the public, and THIS cheese Trumps ANY out there at the moment, and you write a flippant remark on HIS blog telling him to go and research what the “queen of cheese” does.
That just ticks me off!
Rude!
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AGREED!!! So glad you called her (Marria) out on that! Sure Miyoko’s cheeses are decent but she leaves a lot to be desired too. I prefer to make my own Buffalo Mozzarella over buying hers as the recipe created by Lacey from another blog outshines Miyoko’s. Just because Miyoko was an early pioneer of vegan cheese doesn’t make her the Queen. There is room enough at my playground for all the cheese makers. 🙂
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Could I get a link to the mozzarella cheese? That sounds delicious!
Lacey does AvocadosandAles.com, and I love her Mozzarella. Plus, if you have a Vitamix you can do the whole process in the blender. I don’t even soak the cashews. It sets in the fridge after 3 hrs. You just need a candy thermometer to tell when it reaches 170F. It is not cultured (she uses lactic acid for the tang), but way better than the store bought I have tried.
https://avocadosandales.com/2015/08/24/aquafaba-cheese/
She uses aquafaba, kappa carageenan, lactic acid, and a Nina’s Homemade butter (which is easily made but you can also sub Miyokos butter now becoming more available in stores- Whole Foods for example, and probably Earth Balance if you don’t object to using Palm oil).
Wow!! Je suis vraiment impressionnée!!
It looks so much like the real thing! You kind of made me doubt for a moment.. I’m allergic to penicillin but apparently cheese is safe, since it’s actually not the same penicillin.
I would have loved to try this for the dessert table I’m planning for my wedding, but I’ll be one week short!
Oh well, I’m sure I’ll find another occasion! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Merci !
Penicillin and penicillium are two different things. If you ever had real camembert cheese then you had penicillium. I’m using the same mold (fungus) as in the real camemberts.
Valises & Gourmandises, I too am allergic to penicillin (anaphalactic shock reaction). Many mds say people who have just had a rash reaction to penicillin may not actually allergic to it. And while it seems that only rarely have people reacted badly to cheese, I am concerned enough that when I attempt this I will be extra careful not to come in contact with it- even to the point of wearing a respirator. But that is not a problem for me because I am a potter and have to be careful to not inhale the chemicals I use when mixing my glazes.
Hope this helps.
I am allergic (allergic asthma reaction) to the medication Penicillin too, but have had NO issues whatsoever with the cheese culture version of it. I’ve handled it, I’ve eaten it, I’ve probably breathed it in a time or two, no problem!
My father is allergic to penicillin too and he would bet mild reactions from (dairy) brie when it was left to age for months until it was sort of brown, super stinky and almost liquid inside. Hardly anybody would still eat brie in that state though and he’s never had a reaction from just normal brie or camembert, not even the older aged ones!
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OMG!!!!
Just stumbled on your site, and I LOVE IT!!!!
I can’t wait to get my hands on penicillium to give this cheese a go 🙂
(Gorgeous pictures by the way!).
xxo
Augusta
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Hey Augusta, Thanks! Glad you like it!
I’m sure you will love the camembert!
Hi Thomas, I just removed my cheeses from the springform pans and onto the cookie sheet for the beginning of their 3-week flipping journey. However…..mine were very sticky and not semi firmly formed like yours in the photo, more like a very thick cake batter, which stuck to the parchment when I peeled it away. Any ideas what I might have done wrong, or whether you think they may still firm up and turn out ok? (they taste great! So I guess I can eat them anyway…..!) :o)
Hi Nancy,
Okay, so first, did you stored them in the fridge?
You probably used too much water when processing the cashews, you really want to use the least amount possible (but still a little, don’t process the cashews alone), the mixture should be really thick. I would recommend using your food processor next time, if you don’t have a really powerful blender. Last time, I used my food processor to do half the job and finished it in my blender, I found this extra step makes it easier for the blender.
It happened to me too when I first started experimenting and I can assure you they will still firm up, it will take more time though. I would say an extra week.
So, I would recommend you place them back into the springform pans and place them in the fridge for about a week, without flipping them, and check if they are firmer.
Or, soak another cup of cashews and re-blend it with your mixture to thicken it, I never tried but I think that would work too, without “killing” the mold.
I hope this helps, and don’t hesitate to keep me updated! Good luck!
Hi Thomas, I have a powerful Vitamix. In the interest of having less water in the final mixture, would it make any sense to try this without soaking the cashews? The point of soaking is to see that the mixture blend is completely smooth, right? I never soak cashews and they always come out silky smooth. What do you think?
And thanks again for posting this and for answering our questions!
I’m not really sure about not soaking the cashews. One thing you don’t want to do is make cashew butter, it’s very different and it would not firm up or ferment like cashew cream, so adding water when blending is essential.
My cheese is two weeks old and has quite a lot of white mould, but also some black spots appearing. I think this is bad, based on my experiences with making Camembert with dairy milk in the past. I think the problem could be temperature or humidity. The room temperature here is about 20degreesC. Do you have an idea why this is occurring and whether it is a problem?
Hey Beryl,
I think the temperature is the problem here, it should not be above 14-15 degrees Celcius. If you don’t have a room with that kind of temperature I can only recommend aging the cheese in your refrigerator, it will work like a charm and there is very little chance you will get black mold.
What you can do is carefully remove the black spots with a clean knife and add a pinch of salt in the holes. If you only have a few black spots, it should work and “save” your cheese!
Thomas, I ended up eating those cheeses at about 2.5 weeks(delicious!) and now I have a new batch kept in a cooler place. They are at 2.5 weeks now and there is no sign of black mould! I am so excited. The white mould is looking very good, and whole family is drooling in anticipation!
Thanks so much for this recipe. I now wait with ‘bated breath for your blue recipe….and dare I hope for a washed rind after that?
That’s great news!!
I know that feeling when you see some white mold starting to grow on the cheese 🙂
About the blue cheese, it is definitely coming soon. Washed rind?! That’s a challenge!
At least you will be able to compare the cashew cheese with and without the white mold, you will see, the taste is really different!
Hi Thomas
The recipe said about 1/8 tsp of the powder, but i think i may have measured wrong. What happens if you use a little less of the PC than the recipe says?
Hi Lauren,
Nothing is going to happen, even 1/16 tsp is enough as the mold is very powerful. I recommend 1/8 tsp as it’s the easiest to measure 😉
Thomas I made this cheese and it is SO delicious. You are a genius thank you.
Have you tried using Penciillium Roqueforti to make Bleu cheese?
Or a combination of penicillium candida and roqueforte …would that make cambazola?
Thank you so much!
Peggy
I’m so glad to hear it worked well for you! 🙂
I do have penicillium roqueforti and I’m currently experimenting with it, my first two batches were not successful though. The process is a little bit different, but I will be sure to post the recipe when I have something that tastes like blue cheese!
As for mixing both, I’m not sure about the result, you might have to try it 😉
Tried it. It works – and seriously it does taste as good as or even better than Camembert made with cow juice. Thank you so much.
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback! 😉
Hi Thomas, I would like to know if I can use your recipe of camembert using goat cheese starter culture instead of penicilium candidum my starter has penicillium too.
Thank you so much
María
Hi Julia, you won’t get the same results and definitely not the white rind using a goat cheese starter. There are many molds in goat cheese starters, the taste will be different. I think it can result in a pretty tasty cheese though 🙂 but it will not look like a camembert.
Hi! I’m on my second attempt at this 2 weeks in and it’s firmed up but not got a white mould on what am I doing wrong?! Got it in the fridge but it’s a kind of my spare broken fridge that is a bit on the warm side so technically the perfect temperature that you have on the recipe! I used a powder penicillin so did what you said on the notes (but it in sterilised cold water and in the fridge before using it to blend the cashews)
Hi Annie!
I’m sorry to hear it’s not working as expected for you.
Did you salt the cheese? Salt is really important in the development of the white mold, it encourage mold growth.
Also, where do you store the penicillium? Most of the brands recommend you keep them in the freezer.
If the temperature is right I don’t see why the mold is not appearing…The environment should not be too dry though, the mold needs some moisture to develop.
We are talking about penicillium right? Not penicillin.
Feel free to keep me updated so we can figure out where is the problem.
Thanks for the reply!Yeah I salted them and it’s definitely not too dry, not sure what I’m doing wrong! And yes I ordered the penicillium you suggested that was just autocorrect! In the first stage you suggest covering it to keep humidity in, is this just for the first day or for the whole process? I’ll have to try again I guess!
If you have a cheese box, or a plastic container I recommend you cover the cheeses with it (for the whole process). Don’t seal it, leave some space so the air can pass through.
I would not throw the cheese away, I would re-salt them a little bit wait for another week to see if the mold is taking longer to appear. If it doesn’t, you can still eat the cheese, it won’t have the same flavor but they should be tasty!
Make sure your penicillium is not expired, the only time I got this problem, the one I was using was expired.
Thank you! It is in date but I might order some more just in case!
Any substitute for penicillium candidum ? I’m allergic. Thanks.
Hi Caroline,
I’m afraid there are no substitute, without penicillium candidum you won’t get the “camembert” flavor or the white flowery rind.
Ok, thanks for your fast reply.
Hi Thomas!
I have given a shout out on my facebook group Plantified https://www.facebook.com/groups/Plantified/permalink/1162967703761393/ about your magnificent discovery with your camenbert cheese!
People are very interested in what you are doing!
Also @Anderson Santos, I mentioned what you have been up to also!
If you would like to come and talk to people about what your are doing, feel free to drop in and chat!
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Hey Katrina,
Thanks for the shout out! 🙂 I checked your facebook group, very interesting!
So, apparently many people are worried about the mold being vegan or not. The one I bought was labelled as “vegan” on the website, and the brand was Danisco. There is no vegan logo or other information on the package itself, so I guess all the penicillium from this brand is naturally vegan. That’s why I link to a penicillium from this brand.
Yes!
Anderson Santos also was told brands were vegan, but when i spoke to a fellow called Bruce from gnltd.com , and asked him if he could stock some vegan stuff he said : Hi Katrina – thanks for all the information; it is most fascinating.
If you dig deep, the culture that Thomas is actually using for his cashew nut ‘Camembert’ originates from Danisco: the Danisco rep. told me recently that his company “doesn’t do vegan….”
I have never got a straight answer out of Danisco and they have never once come back to me when I repeated asked them this direct question: “Do you sell a culture that is not only suitable for, but also classified as vegan?” – so I will leave it to you to make up your own mind as to the legitimacy of these articles!
Similarly the https://shop.strato.de/epages/62318676.sf/secba30164717/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62318676/Products/005HEC link leads to an Amazon site that sells Pen Candidum in plain pots. I would be very surprised if this was not simply a standard Danisco (or other) non-Vegan culture that has been simply decanted…. I would certainly expect a Vegan certified logo next to it if it was suitable.
Sigma (part of Sigma Aldrich Inc.) is an American chemical company that has a reasonable bio-chemistry division: I used to regularly deal with them many years ago when I was part of a team of research chemists looking into natural and nature-identical flavourings. I’ll look into their products and if I have any luck finding a vegan starter culture that I would be happy to promote and sell, then I promise you that you will be the first to know!
Kind regards
Bruce
I also showed him a link to what you were doing with it after he sounded doubtful any vegan cheese could be decent and he was impressed!
I am concerned that Danisco are giving mixed messages about whether it is free from animal product use or not, so will be interesting to see their response!
I feel that some companies won’t attest to it being vegan if not certified, even if it may actually be plant grown.
My research has shown it is often cultured on canteloupes and lemons, but maybe these cheese supply companies aren’t usually that concerned as their customers are usually Dairy eaters anyway?
Thanks for the nice feedback 😉
I think you are right about companies not being really concerned wether it is vegan or not since 99.9% of their buyers are non-vegan companies. That’s probably why their answers are never completely clear, they don’t really care.
As you can see here, this website is also selling a “vegan” penicillium candidum (from Danisco): http://www.oberacker.de/product_info.php?products_id=2743&osCsid=vbh9in569dvufg7b1dlh81urv0
At least I know for sure that penicillium candidum can be vegan since I heard about vegan-certified companies producing very similar camemberts with only cashew, cultures and mold.
I didn’t know about the mold growing on cantaloupes though, interesting.
Yeah, here is the article I found that out in!
All commercial penicillin comes from cells extracted from a mold growing on a cantaloupe found in Peoria, Illinois, in 1941.To make commercial penicillin, you need a descendant of this strain.
https://sites.google.com/site/lowmoonglowing/penicillin
Also they had another really interesting article on different moulds and what is and isn’t safe!
Makes good reading!
Apparently pink mould is dangerous, so if you see pink mould on stuff in the fridge, stay well clear!
https://sites.google.com/site/windintheroses/mold
Hey thank you for sharing such a revolutionary recipe in a open-source way 🙂
Before I try it I am wondering if ‘rejuvelac’ would work instead of water + probiotics?
http://www.marystestkitchen.com/make-rejuvelac-culturing-cheese/
All the best,
Jan
Thanks Jan 🙂 Yes rejuvelac will work as well, I just find it easier to use probiotic than making rejuvelac from scratch.
How about using some soy yogurt (or whey from it)?
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I never tried with yogurt but it contains different cultures, so I’m not sure what would be the result honestly.