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THIS IS IT GUYS! The vegan cheese you have been looking for. Sharp, and creamy with a white and flowery rind, this vegan camembert is simply mind blowing! Made using traditional cheese-making techniques and just 5 ingredients!
After months of research and testing, I finally found how to make a nut cheese with 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.
⭐️ Why You Should Try This Recipe
- The flavor and texture are incredible. Creamy on the inside, slightly chewy on the outside, and perfectly tangy, I can confidently say this vegan camembert tastes SO much better than most other vegan cheese recipes.
- Made using traditional techniques. While cashew cream replaces dairy milk here, we are using traditional cheese-making methods to age this cheese, giving it a true cheese aroma. There is no nutritional yeast or flavorings used here. It all comes from the cultures and the aging process.
- The reviews speak for themselves. With over 250 ★★★★★ ratings, it’s no question readers love this camembert!
- It’s healthy. This vegan camembert is packed with healthy fats and probiotics that can help improve gut health.
📘 What is Camembert
Camembert is a soft and creamy cheese that first appeared in Normandy, France, around 1554. It is inoculated with a mold called “Penicillium Candidum”, responsible for producing a bloomy rind, and is usually aged for 2-3 weeks.
Looking for other vegan cheese recipes? Check out my vegan blue cheese, sun-dried tomato camembert, hickory-smoked, or this super unique washed-rind vegan cheese!
🥛 Ingredient Notes
This cheese contains only FIVE ingredients: raw cashews, cultures, water, salt, and the secret ingredient for the rind: Penicillium Candidum. Here are some notes about each ingredient:
- Cashews – Cashews make the base of this cheese. You want to use raw cashews, not roasted ones.
- Probiotics – These will give the cheese its tanginess. You can use acidophilus or mesophilic culture. Check out the Tips to read more about it.
- Penicillium Candidum – Penicillium Candidum is a mold that grows on camembert/brie and gives it a white and soft rind. It also adds a lot to the taste by giving a mushroomy flavor. It’s an essential ingredient to this recipe and cannot be omitted or substituted.
- Water – To blend the cashews and turn them into a cream. I recommend using filtered water or water that has been boiled and cooled down.
- Salt – For flavor and to prevent bad bacteria from growing.
🥣 How To Make Vegan Camembert
Before starting: Be aware this is not a quick recipe, don’t expect to have vegan camembert ready tonight. The whole process will take you about three weeks. BUT: It is totally worth it!
1. Prepare the cashew cream
- Drain the soaked cashew and transfer them to a high-speed blender. You can use a food processor, but you won’t get the same silky smooth texture.
- Add the water and blend on high speed for 1-2 minutes or until it forms a thick and smooth cream.
- Sprinkle the acidophilus probiotic and the Penicillium Candidum and blend for another 5-10 seconds.
Note: There are two methods to innoculate the Penicillium Candidum. The first one consists of mixing it into the ingredients directly. The second one consists of spraying it on the outside of the cheeses after they have been shaped. I used the first method here, which gives the best result, in my opinion.
2. Let the cashew cream ferment
Once you have a very smooth and thick cashew cream:
- Transfer it to a clean bowl and cover it with plastic film to touch.
- At this point, let the cashew cream ferment at room temperature in a dark place for 24-48 hours.
- After that, the cashew cream should have small bubbles and a fluffy texture. This means the fermentation process worked. You can taste it. It should have a subtle tanginess.
- Transfer the fermented cashew cream to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. This step will allow it to firm up a little bit.
3. Shape and salt the cheeses
- Line 3 springform pans (I used these Wilton 4-inch springform pans) with parchment paper or plastic wrap, covering the bottom and sides. The goal is to prevent the cheese from touching and sticking to the metal.
- Fill each pan with the cashew cream mixture and press it down using plastic film, so it doesn’t stick to your hands. Cover with plastic film to touch.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, carefully remove the cheeses from the springform pans and place them in a container lined with parchment paper. Be careful, the cheeses will be very soft (like a thick cream).
- Sprinkle about 1/4 tsp of salt over the top of each cheese, and rub with your finger to evenly distribute the salt. Carefully flip the cheeses and sprinkle the bottoms and sides with more salt.
- Close the container and place it in your refrigerator (in the warmest area) or a room at a temperature of 52-56°F (11-13°C).
4. Age the cheeses
Finally, the most exciting step!
- Every day, carefully flip the cheeses. The cheeses will be very soft at the beginning, like cream cheese. Don’t worry; they will firm up after a few days. If you see water or condensation in the container, remove it using a kitchen paper towel.
- After 7-10 days, the cheeses should be slightly firmer. At this point, you can place them on a clean grid (that fits in your container). If you don’t have a grid, place the cheeses on chopsticks. This will allow airflow, and the mold will grow more uniformly.
- Continue flipping the cheeses every day for the next 7 days. The mold will start to appear in the following days if it hasn’t appeared already.
- After a total of 2 weeks, the cheeses should be fully covered with a white and fluffy rind. You are almost done!
- Wrap the cheeses in parchment or cheese paper and place them in the refrigerator for at least 2 days. The longer you let them age, the sharper they will become.
🥖 How To Serve It
Enjoy with french bread, Vietnamese baguette, fig chutney, caramelized walnuts, or even a drizzle of pure maple syrup if you like the combination of sweet and salty.
Regarding beverages, this camembert pairs well with cider, Champagne, Cabernet Sauvignon, apple liquor, beer, or a good apple juice if you don’t drink alcohol. The apple undertones of cider or apple juice contrast very well with the slight bitterness of the camembert!
❄️ Freezing
After aging the cheeses, wrap them in cheese paper or plastic film. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
📔 Tips
- Do not omit or substitute any ingredient. This recipe is not versatile. If you want to succeed with it, do not change the ingredients or method.
- Use gloves. While not mandatory, I recommend using gloves while handling the cheeses. It will prevent bad bacteria from contaminating your cheeses.
- Regarding the Penicillium Candidum: The links provided here for Penicillium Candidum may not redirect to a fully vegan product. If you want to find a 100% vegan one, you will have to do your own research (it’s available in many cheese-making shops). 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.
- Regarding the Acidophilus: In this recipe, I used the Advanced Acidophilus Plus from Solgar, which contains 500M microorganisms per capsule. You can use a different brand, but you may have to use less if it contains more microorganisms. Alternatively, you can replace the acidophilus with 1/16 teaspoon of mesophilic, which is a culture made specifically for cheese making. It will yield a slightly less tangy and more buttery flavor.
- Depending on the temperature in your fridge/aging room, the mold might take more or less time to develop. The colder the temperature, the longer it will take to develop.
💬 FAQ
Yes! It is totally safe to eat the rind. That’s actually where most of the flavor lies!
Vegan camembert has a nice tanginess and earthiness with notes of mushrooms and butter.
You can find it online on cheese-making websites or ask your local cheese maker to sell you some.
While some readers had success using a mix of different nuts, I haven’t personally tried it yet. I recommend sticking to cashews for a creamy consistency.
No, Penicillium Candidum is essential to this recipe. It’s responsible for the flavor and texture.
After the aging process, vegan camembert will keep for up to one month in the refrigerator, wrapped in cheese paper. Once cut, it will keep for about 1 week.
No, this vegan camembert doesn’t melt but will soften when heated.
Both kinds of cheese originate from different areas of France. One comes from Normandy, while the other comes from “Île-de-France.” The other difference is that Brie is often larger than the camembert, weighing around 100 pounds instead of 9 ounces for the camembert. If you want, you can shape this vegan cheese into a large wheel instead of 3 small ones to make vegan brie!
This vegan camembert will surely impress any cheese lover and even your non-vegan friends! It’s creamy, rich, and just delicious!
Disclaimer: Many people have been making this cheese without giving any credit and labeling it their own. I worked really hard to create this recipe and had to do a ton of experiments before releasing it. Please give credit by citing Full of Plants and linking to this website.
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Vegan Aged Camembert Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups raw cashews soaked overnight
- 8-10 tbsp filtered water (or boiled water cooled down)
- 8 capsules Acidophilus probiotic or 1/8 tsp mesophilic
- 1/8 tsp Penicillium Candidum powder or liquid
- 2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Prepare the cashew cream
- 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 bacteria.
- 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 cream. This step might take about 10 minutes, depending on your blender.
- Open the probiotic capsules and add the powder to the blender. Add the Penicillium Candidum, and blend on high speed for another 10-15 seconds.
- The cashew cream should be smooth but quite thick. If needed, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until smooth. Do not add too much water or your mixture will be too liquid.
- Let it ferment: Transfer the cashew cream to a clean glass bowl, cover it with plastic film to touch, and let it sit at room temperature for 24-48 hours in a dark place. This step is important to let the cheese ferment and get a tangy flavor. Note: The cashew cream should have small bubbles and a fluffy texture. This means the fermentation process worked.
- Transfer the cashew cream to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours (or overnight). The cashew cream will firm up a bit and become easier to work with.
Shape the cheeses
- Line 3 4-inch springform pans with parchment paper. You want to cover the bottom and sides. Alternatively, you can also use plastic film if you prefer. The goal is to prevent the cheese from touching the metal. Fill each pan with the cashew cream and press it down using plastic film, so it doesn't stick to your hands. Refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, carefully remove the cheeses from their springform pans and place them in a container lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle about 1/4 tsp of salt over the top of the cheeses. Next, using a plate lined with parchment paper, very carefully flip the cheeses. Sprinkle the tops and sides with more salt. The cheeses will still be very soft, like cream cheese. Don't worry, they will be easier to work with after 3-4 days, as salt will remove some moisture.
Aging
- Close the container and place it in your refrigerator (in the warmest area) or a room at a temperature of 52-56°F (11-13°C). Important note: You will age the cheeses at this temperature for the next two weeks. Do not store them at a temperature higher than 56°F (13°C). Also, the cheeses must stay in the closed container during the whole process, it will prevent them from drying.
- Every day, carefully flip the cheeses. Always use clean hands or work with gloves (or plastic film) to make sure you are not touching the cheeses. If you see water or condensation in the container, remove it using a kitchen paper towel.
- After 7 days, the cheeses will be a little bit firmer, and you should be able to place them on a plastic grid or chopsticks (that fits inside your container). This will allow airflow, and the mold will grow more uniformly.
- Continue flipping the cheeses every day for the next 7 days. The mold will start to appear in the following days, if it hasn't appeared already.
- After a total of 2 weeks, the cheeses should be completely covered with a white and fluffy mold. At this point, wrap the cheeses in parchment or cheese paper and place them in the refrigerator for at least 2 days. The longer you let them age in the refrigerator, the sharper they will become.
- Enjoy this vegan camembert with french bread, fresh figs, and/or nuts!
- Vegan camembert will keep for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
- Do not omit or substitute any ingredient. This recipe is not versatile. If you want to succeed with it, do not change the ingredients or method.
- Use gloves. While not mandatory, I recommend using gloves while handling the cheeses. It will prevent bad bacteria from contaminating your cheeses.
- Regarding the Penicillium Candidum: The links provided here for Penicillium Candidum may not redirect to a fully vegan product. If you want to find a 100% vegan one, you will have to do your own research (it’s available in many cheese-making shops). 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.
- Penicillium Candidum can be found in powdered and liquid forms. Both work the same. I usually use 1/8 tsp when in liquid or 1/16 tsp when in powder. If you do not own a 1/8 tsp, simply measure the powder using a fork or knife tip.
- Regarding the Acidophilus: In this recipe, I used the Advanced Acidophilus Plus from Solgar, which contains 500M microorganisms per capsule. You can use a different brand, but you may have to use less if it contains more microorganisms. Alternatively, you can replace the acidophilus with 1/16 teaspoon of mesophilic, which is a culture made specifically for cheese making. It will yield a slightly less tangy and more buttery flavor.
- Depending on the temperature in your fridge/aging room, the mold might take more or less time to develop. The colder the temperature, the longer it will take to develop.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment
do you have any idea why the mold is not white but grey? i don t understand, i do everything right and it s grey, doesn t matter which penicillium i use
Hi Emilie,
This is not good mold, please trash your cheeses and start again.
You should use penicillium candidum, but more importantly my suggestion would be to use gloves while handling the cheeses and utensils. Also, you might want to clean completely your fridge and boxes. Change the bamboo mat too. At which temperature are your cheeses aging?
Hello, I just wondered if you have ever added any truffle oil to the mixture? Thx
Hello Matthew,
I haven’t but you can definitely add a 2-3 teaspoons for extra flavor!
Hi Thomas!
I wanna Hello, Thomas. I wanna to make this Camembert cheese, but in Vietnam, Penicillium candidum is not available. So, can I use a type of Vegetarian rennet?
Hi Tăng Yến,
Vegetarian rennet is not the same as Penicillium candidum. If you don’t have access to it, you could for example, use 1 tablespoon of the rind of a dairy camembert and blend it with the cashew cream. I know your cheese won’t be 100% vegan but it’s the best option if you cannot buy PC.
Hello. I have started my first batch of this cheese and am wondering: when I ground the soaked and sterilized cashews in my Vitamix, the nut paste became quite warm (I should have used more water, perhaps?). I went ahead and added the cultures but am curious if the warm temperature and low liquid content may have negatively affected the outcome. After the 48-hour room fermentation, there was none of the fluffiness that the picture indicates (though there was a bit of a tasty tang to the mixture). They are currently in the springform molds in the refrigerator, but I am thinking this first attempt may be botched; any thoughts? Thanks, Michael.
Hello Michael,
If the paste becomes warm, I recommend taking a break before blending again.
Regarding the outcome, I doubt that the warm temperature will affect it. You don’t have to get the same fluffiness as shown on the photo (especially if your cashew paste is thick). As long as the cashew mixture seems slightly fluffy, has a subtle tang and smells like yogurt/cream cheese, you are good to go. Hope your cheeses will turn out great, keep me updated 🙂
Thanks Thomas, much appreciated. Flipping is preceding along fine but, since I am using a standard cold refrigerator, aging will probably take quite a while; will report in once white mold starts appearing.
Hi, I’m trying this recipe for the first time. My cheeses are aging in the fridge. Do you think it’s okay if I skip the flip for 1-3 days?
Hi Anne,
If your cheeses are placed on a grid or on chopsticks, you can skip the flipping step for 2-3 days without any problem.
Hi, thanks for the lovely recipe. All good but I get a bitter rind every time. It lingers in the throat and makes it difficult to enjoy. How can I make the rind be as subtle as possible, like you say, flowery rather than bitter 🙂 What could be the reason for this. Thank you
Hi Karine,
I would recommend trying a different culture and mold. Not all probiotics are equals and some may yield a bitter flavor (I personally love to use mesophilic and penicillium candidum Neige). Also, you may try reducing slightly the temperature of your fridge, a warmer aging temperature will yield a stronger flavor.
Hi Thomas, I am very excited to try this recipe. I am based in South Africa and really struggling to find the Acidophilus. I have managed to find a vegan yoghurt culture and wanted to know if you think this would work? See the description of the culture below.
Lyofast SYAB 1 consists of specifically selected strains of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus added with the probiotic strains Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis.
I have since actually managed to find what I think might be the correct probiotic.
I see that it contains more per serving so I will adjust quantity accordingly. Is this the correct thing to do?
Yes, in your case, you will need to use only 2 capsules as they contain 4 times the amount of the ones I recommended in this post.
Hi Thomas,
This is the probiotic I ended up using – https://www.greensquareshop.com/products/probiotic-supplements-acidophilus-tablets-digestive-gut-health
My cheeses are in a temperature controlled fridge (at 12 degrees Celsius) and they are each in their own containers. They have been aging for 3 days but are still very soft and their is water at the bottom of the containers everyday. I have placed paper towel in the containers but I’m not sure if this is a lost cause?
Hi Cindy,
I think I’ve seen this probiotic before in one of your other comments.
12 degrees Celcius is great for camemberts, the mold should grow pretty fast! Use kitchen paper towels to remove the water from the containers every 1-2 days and you should be good 😉
Hi Cindy,
Yogurt culture won’t work as it needs a higher temperature to ferment, it would also yield a different flavor. You want to use either the acidophilus or mesophilic culture, not thermophilic.
Is the measurement for the mesophilic 1/8 or 1/16 of a tsp? The ingredient list states 1/8 but your comments say 1/16.
1/16 teaspoon is more than enough, but I wrote 1/8 teaspoon as some readers had trouble understanding how to measure 1/16 teaspoon.
Hi Tomas, thanks for this wonderful recipe! I am just having a problem finding the right probiotics, unfortunately I only found some that have 25 billion per capsule.. in this case, should I use 1/6 of a capsule per batch?
Thanks!
Hi Ilaria,
Yes, I would recommend using just a pinch of 1/16 of a teaspoon.
Awesome, will do! Thank you so much
I’m a few weeks in and the white mold is still only covering about 75/80% of the cheese. Any idea of why this is and what I can do?
Is your cheese dry on the 20-25% not covered? If the mold stopped growing, the reason is almost always because the cheese formed a crust, hence it is not moist enough for the mold to grow.
Are you keeping your cheeses in a container?
I’m aging this in the fridge at the warmest place. I’m about 12 days into aging now, and I’m not sure if I’m having trouble. The fuzzy white mold appears, but then disappears after I flip it. As in, the top will be fuzzy, but when I flip it and it becomes the bottom, the bottom isn’t fuzzy the next day. Is this normal or should I maybe stop flipping it?
As explained in the recipe, you should transfer your camembert to a rack. That will allow the mold to grow evenly on top and bottom. It also makes it easier to flip as the mold won’t stick to any parchment paper. If you don’t have a small rack that can fit in your container, then you can use chopsticks 😉
Thank you for your reply! I do have it on a cheese mat in the container. Is it normal for the mold to come and go if it is aging in the fridge where it is colder than 56 degrees? I’m wondering if this is a normal part of the aging process when it is slower.
If it’s the kind of cheese mat made of bamboo, then I do not recommend using that anymore as the white mold tends to stick to it. There is also not enough area in contact with air for the mold to grow correctly on the bottom, that’s why I recommend a grid with large holes (or chopsticks). Regarding the temperature, yes, the colder the slower it will take for the mold to grow.
Hello Thomas,
I am very excited to try this! I have a question and apologize if you answered it, I could not find it.
Do you keep the cheese in the refrigerator during the whole process including the aging process? I appreciate your reply.
Hello Candy,
Yes, you should keep the cheeses in the refrigerator during the whole aging process.
Hey Thomas, me again.I just read that you only put 500M microorganism. Yesterday i didnt realize and put 2B in the mixture.Is this still salvable? Or do i better start over?
Hi Jan,
You will only know in a day or two, once the fermentation has started. If your cashew cream is too airy and has a rotten egg smell, something went wrong. On the other hand, if your cashew cream has a pleasant, lightly sour (like yogurt) taste, you can continue with the process.
Hello Thomas, I bought a small wine fridge where i will only put in the cheeses and nothing else. Is it necessary to have each cheese in its separate container, or is this something you recommend to avoid cross contamination with other foods if using a normal fridge? im planning to make +10 cheeses and would prefer not to have them all in a separate container
Hello Jan,
I recommend keeping cheeses in a container for a simple reason: to keep enough humidity and prevent the cheeses from drying on the outside before the mold can develop. If you can have a high percentage of humidity inside your wine fridge, then you shouldn’t need to keep the cheeses inside a container.
I have a stupid question. Is it 4 cups of raw cashews and then soak them overnight? Or is it 4 cups of raw cashews that have been soaked overnight. There’s a big difference in volume between the two.
It’s 4 cups of cashews before soaking.
Thank you so much! I want to make your blue cheese recipe. I would like to add juniper berries. Can I do that? I guess I would add them during the crumble phase? I’ve had blue cheese with Juniper berries in it before and it was so delicious.
Are they dried? Because I am unsure if it’s safe to add fresh berries to this cheese. I think they will turn bad.
Otherwise, if dried, yes. I would add them during the crumbling step.
Can you substitute macadamia nuts for the cashews? My husband has a cashew allergy.
I haven’t tried with macadamias so I cannot say for sure, but I believe the texture of the cream might be too liquid since macadamias contain more fat than cashews.
I hope you are still answering questions! I made this recipe last week. They came out of their pans on Friday (6 days ago), i rubbed salt on them and put them into my cold room which sits at ~12 degrees. I flipped them every morning and on Monday, the 4th day, there was substantial white mold on them and now, on day 6th, they are entirely covered. They look beautiful….but, I’m concerned about how quickly that happened. I’m a bit confused about the timing in your instructions…specifically, after you take them from the mold, after 7-10 days they will firm up and then place them on a clean grid at this point. Then keep flipping for another week and the mold will appear after 5-7 days. I’m interpreting this as: release from the mold, flip for 7-10 days and then transfer to a grid. Then flip for an other week, and during THAT week the mold will grow. So I was anticipating that the mold wouldn’t grow until around day 15. I hope I’m wrong and my timing is good! Thanks!
Hi Tracy,
Mold growth depends a lot on the aging conditions such as the temperature and humidity. You aged the cheeses at a rather warm temperature, that’s why the mold grew so quickly, nothing wrong about that 🙂
At this point, I would recommend wrapping your cheeses in special camembert paper and letting them age for at least 7-10 days in the refrigerator (at a lower temperature) before eating.
Sorry, Thomas, I still have a question. Can I use penicillum candidum or penicillum camemberti indifferently?
Yes, it’s basically the same thing.
Hi Thomas, instead of filtered water plus probiotics, can I use homemade rejuvelac in the same quantity as filtered water?
Thank you
Hi Titti,
Yes, you can use rejuvelac. Just be aware your cheese might be a bit more tangy.
Hi Thomas. Thanks for all your expert techniques and great recipes.
Is there any way to make a vegan Swiss cheese? I don’t care particularly about the holes but is there a way to achieve the nutty Swiss flavor? Thanks!
J
Hi Joanne,
You are welcome! Unfortunately, I never had any success in making vegan Swiss cheese. I couldn’t get the holes or even the specific Swiss cheese flavor.
I’ll probably experiment more in the future as I used to love Swiss cheeses!
Question: I am not vegan, however, most of my diet is. My question is if I can use yogurt instead of acidophilus and if yes, how much. Looking forward to hearing back:)
Thank you
Hi Orit,
I do not recommend using yogurt as most contain thermophilic cultures, and that requires a higher temperature to ferment. If you have yogurt prepared with mesophilic cultures (which can work at room temperature), then it should work.
Made this for the first time and I’d say it came out relatively well for my first shot. My recommendation would be to significantly increase the amount salt used, preferably mixing it into the cheese vs sprinkling on top. I had a feeling the sprinkle of salt on each side (as seen in the recipe video) would be insufficient. Cheese is one of the saltiest foods in existence so I should have followed my gut. Other than that though, great recipe!!
Glad you liked this vegan camembert Ben!
Regarding the salt, there is no need to mix salt in the mixture if you generously salt the outside. Also, the thickness and size of your wheels will obviously affect the saltiness, so it needs to be adjusted accordingly.
Hi!
I’m in Denver, CO, and I’m wondering if there’s anything I should do differently with this due to the high altitude and also how dry it gets in the winter (less than 20% some days).
Is there anything that might make this come out differently?
Hi Finley,
If you age the cheeses in your fridge, stored in a container to keep the moisture, they shouldn’t get dry.
I’m making your camembert, blue cheese, and hickory smoked cheese all at the same time! You made me buy a smoker, my friend… haha
I have made camembert and blue cheese in the past, but I had trouble with growing the mold. Your instructions were really clear, so I’m having a lot more success this time.
I got a fridge thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature around the cheeses and the mold is growing beautifully!
I’ll tag you on IG when they’re ready to show you the pictures.
That’s great! I’m glad you are seeing good mold growth, it’s the most exciting part 😉
Hi Thomas I make this recipe often & it is absolutely delicious. Im looking for a vegan smoked cream cheese recipe or a vegan cream cheese recipe that would withstand being smoked in the smoker so something a bit more firm. Do you have any suggestions?
Janet
Hi Janet,
I think you could simply take this camembert recipe as a base (without the Penicillium candidum) and smoke it after a few days. It will still be quite soft. Then, you could blend it again with a couple of tablespoons of water to adjust the consistency to your liking.
I didn’t see this addressed; sorry if it’s already been asked/answered.
Q: is the 4 cups of cashews by weight or volume?
4 cups equals about 600g of cashews.
Hi Thomas,
What a brilliant recipe. My question may be stupid but can you tell me, is the 1 month fridge life calculated after the mould is fully grown or does it include maturing time? I don’t envisage this cheese lasting that long in my household but just in case there’s any left over!
Hi John,
It is after the cheese is completely done, so it doesn’t include the aging time.
Hi Thomas
Thank you very much for this wonderful recipe – I’m about to start making it for the third or fourth time.
Can I ask what type of blender you use? Blending 600g cashews in 150ml water is just not do-able with the equipment I have – I end up having to add much more liquid. Thanks to you I’m getting more & more into cheese-making and I would consider investing in a better blender, but despite hours of online research I just don’t know what to go for! What are your recommendations?
Many thanks, Pam
Hi Pam,
I am using a Magimix blender. If you soaked the cashews overnight they should be soft enough to be blended with just 150ml of water. However, it’s not an exact science so you might have to add a bit more until the cashews turn into a very thick cream. Hope this helps!
While I appreciate these instructions, they include only some, but not the most critical, of cheesemaking techniques…which is to coagulate the protein in milk (whether of animal or vegetable origin) into curds…draining off the whey which takes the carbs with it.
Try starting with silken tofu, or other firmer tofu blended into a thick “cream” with some water, and then add a significant amount of refined (to avoid coconut flavor) coconut oil, to replace the 50% oil content of the cashews, & then proceed with your recipe.
This will give you true cheese that is high protein and low carbohydrates. Tofu can substitute for the curds from animal milk whey in making any whey protein type cheeses.
Hi Olen, have you tried the recipe you are sharing here?
I never had any success with tofu, mold simply didn’t grow well and/or the texture and flavor were off. Also, please do not put ratings before trying the recipe, thank you!
Hi Thomas! Thank you for this great recipe!
I’ve been making camembert for a few months now, and I have a problem which forums haven’t helped me with, so I thought maybe you would give me some advice.
So, here’s the problem. Initially, everything was good and the first batch of camembert was awesome. However, shortly after that success, I also started making blue cheese, and all my camemberts since then have had blue mold growing on them at some point. I always age camembert and blue cheese in separate containers and clean all the equipment very well with hot water and soap. I also tried scraping off the blue mold, but it just keeps going back, growing, and ultimately ruining my camembert every time. I’m desperate. Have you had such experience? Could you recommend anything or suggest why this might happen?
Thank you.
Best,
Alex
Hi Alex,
Molds transfer very, very easily. The only thing you could do is cleaning entirely your fridge with diluted white vinegar (or another cleaning product). The mold is probably present inside the fridge and then grows on the cheeses.