Sweetened Vegan Cashew Mascarpone
Click Here for a Printable Recipe
If you’re looking for a simple way to feel really fancy, you can’t go wrong with this rich and creamy sweetened vegan cashew mascarpone. It’s not overly sweet- really just a touch of sweetness, that plays well against the tangy and sharp notes. This recipe is vegan cheese at it’s most simple and pure- with just 5 ingredients (+ water), there’s no need for tapioca, agar-agar, beta carotene, or any other specialty ingredients. Just cashews and a few flavors, along with a blender and some time are needed to create this soft and spreadable cheese.
I spent some time watching the Food Network channel a while back- as every vegan who has tried this knows, it is not a good place to get ideas for vegan cooking. An episode couldn’t go by without the words “prosciutto” and “mascarpone” being uttered, and the salty meat and creamy cheese being thrown into every dish available. While this didn’t inspire me to go out and make a truffle omlette with prosciutto and whipped mascarpone, it did get me thinking about the what I could do to make the richest, creamiest, softest, sweet vegan cheese. This cashew vegan mascarpone is the result of that challenge- it is creamy and rich, a little sweet and slightly sour. It is soft and spreadable, and an amazing accompaniment to bread, fruit, chocolate or wine.
I love eating this vegan cashew mascarpone with fruit, bread, and chocolate– it’s a rich and indulgent experience, perfect for after a long ski or hike, a girls night, or a romantic night in. The cheese in this photograph was made and enjoyed after a long cross-county ski in Vermont. The vegan cashew mascarpone helped to life my body from it’s state of exhaustion, and added a little glamour to a day of cold and sweat (a very contradictory feeling).
Add another one of these treats to your post-ski menu!
- Maple Walnut Vegan Biscotti
- Holiday Baked Vegan Cheese with Guava Swirl
- Homemade Vegan Seaweed Crackers
- No-Bake Chocolate Espresso Fudge Cake
- Vegan Air Fried Cream Cheese Wontons
Like many vegan cheeses, the key to firm and creamy texture is softening the cashews. The cashews need to be saturated with water, by either soaking them (for 2-12 hours), or by taking a shortcut and boiling them for about 10 minutes. After the cheese is blended together, it now needs to sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours- overnight is best, to get the firm yet spreadable texture. It is also important not to use too much moisture, as that will make it harder for the cheese to set.
Sweetened Vegan Cashew Mascarpone
Ingredients
- 1 cup of cashews
- 2 TBSP of coconut oil, melted
- 2 TBSP of lemon juice
- 1 TBSP of apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBSP of agave
- 1 TBSP of water
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a bowl and cover completely with water. Allow to soak at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or boil for 10 minutes to soften.
- Drain the water from the cashews and place in a blender, along with all the other ingredients. Blend until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides. You might also need to stir the mixture to remove air bubbles and allow it to keep on blending evenly. Try to avoid adding more liquid, but if you need to add an additional tablespoon of water to let the mixture blend.
- Line a bowl or container with plastic wrap, and empty the blended cashews into it. Cover and place in the refrigerator, for 8-12 hours, until firm. Remove from the plastic wrap and serve.
Click Here for a Printable Recipe
Let’s hear from you…
- Where does this cheese belong- après-ski, or fancy night in?
- Am I missing out on a vegan prosciutto recipe, or should I leave that one alone? What other fancy vegan ingredients would you like to see?
Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Hey Valerie, this is probably a duhhh, but I couldn’t find in the ingredients and recipe for the vegan mascarpone substitute what it’s stuffed in (is that a fig rind, or?).
Hi Lauren,
Sorry for the delay responding to your comment, somehow I missed this one! The mascarpone recipe is made as an independent cheese. but you can use it with whatever you like- I ended up eating it with figs, guavas, sugar plums and bread!