Is there anyway to alter the texture of nut and seed cheese?

[kurt28]

I've been experimenting with making nut and seed cheese. One thing I don't like is the texture. I blend the nuts or seeds up in a food processer (along with the other ingredients) but the texture ends up being grainy.

I know you can add water to thin it up but that's not what I'm talking about. The texture just isn't anything like cheese. I know they say that it isn't as grainy if you use cashew nuts but I happen to be allergic to cashews.

I was thinking that if I could grind the nuts or seeds up into a powder first then it might end up with a better texture. What do you think, is there anyway to do that? I was thinking maybe a coffee grinder, but I'm not sure how fine coffee grinders grind stuff up.

Also, after dehydrating the cheese I noticed that it didn't hold together very well. Is there something you can add to it to get it to hold together more firmly like dairy cheese does?

[Saria]

It could have something to do with the equipment you're using or how long you're processing it for

[MysticTree]

you could try adding an avocado to make it creamier and some lemon juice to help keep the colour from going black!

[walnutty]

You need a Blendtek!!!

[Traceyraw]

I make chia pudding if I don't add enough water its like cream cheese texture. Some of those great little seeds might work.

[Shaeliya]

Flax seeds ground up in the coffee grinder, mixed with some water and soaked for about fifteen minutes, then added to the nut mixture will help it hold together very well (plus adding omega 3's). As for the texture, it's most likely the blender that you're using. I have a vitamix, which nearly killed me to pay that kind of price for a "blender," but now that I have it, I know it has been the best investment into raw eating I could have ever made. It's worth saving for!

[kurt28]

I actually used a food processer instead of a blender. I have a blender but the blades are as dull as a butter knife so I went with the food processer. I thought it was a good food processer though, it was the best one I could find at Wal-mart anyway. But, it just seemed like the ingredients would only chop up so fine. I don't know, maybe it is my equipment. Has anybody else had this problem before, with their cheese being grainy rather than smooth?

[MysticTree]

I actually used a food processer instead of a blender. I have a blender but the blades are as dull as a butter knife so I went with the food processer. I thought it was a good food processer though, it was the best one I could find at Wal-mart anyway. But, it just seemed like the ingredients would only chop up so fine. I don't know, maybe it is my equipment. Has anybody else had this problem before, with their cheese being grainy rather than smooth?

You could try pulverising with a pestle and mortar.

[Shaeliya]

Yes, it is definitely the equipment. Food processors just won't go past a "meal" consistency. Look into a high quality blender.

[Ucat]

You can mix probiotics (of various kinds) into nut cheeses! I think it changes the taste, not sure about whether it changes the texture...

Google for it, here are two examples:

http://www.rawmazing.com/raw-recipe-simple-almond-cheese/

http://webevegan.org/2011/09/26/raw-vegan-probiotic-nut-cheese/

[GoodCat]

I always soak my nuts over night and then I blend all the ingredients for the nut cheese (including probiotic) in my Vitamix. I agree the the food processor will only take your nuts to a certain point, but a good blender will take it all the way to smooth.

Cathy