Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Camembert

Instructions

Dry the tomatoes

Preheat the oven. Start by preheating your oven to 200°F (94°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Prepare the tomatoes. Rinse the tomatoes under cold water and pat them dry using kitchen paper towels. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and remove the core. Scoop out the seeds and pulp and discard them.
Season them. Transfer the quartered tomatoes to a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, thyme, oregano, and salt. Toss to coat.
Transfer to a baking dish. Arrange the tomatoes on the baking sheet, cut-side up. Make sure to leave space between each one. You don’t want them to touch each other. Note: Depending on the size of your oven, you might have to use two baking sheets.
Bake. Bake the tomatoes for 4 hours or until they have reduced in size by about half. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
Note: If you don’t plan to use the dried tomatoes right away (or if you have made a double batch), you can transfer them to a glass container and cover them with canola or sunflower oil. Dried tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks. Pat them with kitchen paper towels to remove the oil before using them.

Blend the cashew mixture

Optional: Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a large glass bowl. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the cashews and allow them to sit for 1-2 minutes before draining them again and letting them cool down. This extra step will kill possible harmful bacteria.
Combine all of the ingredients. Place the soaked and drained cashews, dried tomatoes, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, and two tablespoons of water in a blender.
Blend. Blend on high speed, scraping down the sides from time to time. This step might take about 10 minutes, depending on your blender. You want a very smooth yet thick texture. If needed, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until smooth. Do not add too much water, or the cheeses will be very hard to handle during the aging step.
Add the cultures. Open the probiotic capsules and add the powder to the bowl. You can use a mesophilic culture starter instead if you prefer (both work). Add the Penicillium Candidum as well. Blend for another few seconds.
Transfer to a bowl. Once your mixture is smooth, transfer it to a clean bowl. At this step, you can stir in some chopped dried tomato pieces if you want more texture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap touching the mixture – this will prevent the top from drying.
Let it ferment. Let the cashew cream ferment at room temperature for 12-36 hours. After about 12 hours, taste the cashew cream. It should have a slightly sour taste, like fresh cream cheese. If it doesn’t and still has a strong cashew flavor, let it sit on the counter for another 12 hours.
Chill. Once cultured, place the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Once cold, the cashew cream will be slightly firmer and easier to work with.

Shape the cheeses

Prepare the pans. Cut strips of parchment paper and lay them into three 4-inch (10 cm) springform pans to cover the sides and bottom. The goal is to prevent the cream cheese from touching and sticking to the metal. Alternatively, you can use food rings like these to shape the cheeses. No parchment paper? Simply use cling film.
Fill pans with the cream cheese. Fill the pans with the cashew cream and press it down using plastic film so it doesn’t stick to your hands. Try to make the top as flat as possible (it will result in a nicer shape).
Refrigerate. Cover each springform pan with plastic wrap touching the cream cheese, and refrigerate overnight.

Age them

Salt the cheeses. Line a deep container with parchment paper. Carefully remove the wheels of cheese from the springform pans and place them inside the container. Sprinkle about 1/4 tsp of salt over the top of each cheese, flip them, and sprinkle another 1/4 tsp on the other sides. Rub with your finger to distribute the salt evenly on each face and on the sides. Close the container containing the cheeses and place it in the refrigerator.
Flip the cheeses. Every day for the next 3 days, carefully flip the cheeses. In the beginning, the cheeses will still be very soft, like cream cheese, which makes them a bit difficult to handle. Don’t worry, they will be easier to work with after a few days. Always place the container back inside the refrigerator after flipping the cheeses.
Age them. Continue to flip the cheeses every day for the next two weeks, leaving them in the container inside the refrigerator all the time. Always use clean hands or work with plastic film to ensure you are not touching the cheeses. The mold will start to appear on days 8-10, depending on the humidity and temperature of your fridge. Once the mold has started to appear, you can transfer the cheeses to a plastic grid or bamboo mat or put them on top of chopsticks to allow the mold to grow better (still leaving them in the refrigerator, covered). After another week or so, the cheeses should be fully covered with white mold!
Wrap them. Once the cheeses are completely coated with a layer of white mold, wrap them in parchment paper or cheese paper and place them in the refrigerator for at least 5 days. The longer you let them age in the refrigerator, the stronger the taste. They are then ready to be enjoyed!
Enjoy with bread, crackers, pesto, nuts, or even jam. You can store the cheeses for up to 1 month after the aging process.

Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Camembert

Ingredients

Dried Tomatoes

Camembert

Instructions

Dry the tomatoes

Blend the cashew mixture

Shape the cheeses

Age them

Notes

Use clean tools and utensils.

Keep the cheeses covered.

Nutrition