Cashew Cream

This is one of the most delicious and versatile recipes I have found. It’s smooth, creamy, and so good in everything! Once you try this heavenly delight, milk and cream just seem so passé. :)  It can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and can be frozen for up to 6 months (although after it’s defrosted, it can be a bit lumpy, so give it a quick spin in the blender before using it).

The real trick with cashew cream is to use raw cashews. They have no flavour on their own, but they are an amazing vessel for fat and creaminess. Because of the nice fat content, cashew cream reduces in a pan even faster than heavy cream.  You can sweeten it with vanilla, stevia and a pinch of cinnamon and use in dessert recipes, or leave it as is, and use in delicious savoury soup recipes.  The possibilities are endless!

Ingredients

•  2 whole cups of raw cashews (not pieces, which are often very dry) rinsed very well under cold water.

Method

• Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
• Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water.
• Place in a blender with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. (If you're not using a professional high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix, which creates an ultra-smooth cream, strain the cashew cream through a fine-mesh sieve.)
• To make thick cashew cream, simply reduce the amount of water in the blender, so that the water just covers the cashews.