Easy Vegan Colby Jack Cheese

Rinse cashews and soak overnight in a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water 1/2 cup raw cashews (another option is to boil the cashews and add apple cider later, I personally like the taste the apple cider gives to the soaked cashews).
Rinse then add to a blender with coconut oil and coconut milk.
Remove half of the mixture and set aside.

To flavor the Monterey Jack add nutritional yeast, lactic acid and salt. Then mix in the kappa carrageenan and tapioca starch.
Mix to combine then set aside .

To make the Colby add miso paste, nutritional yeast, mushroom powder vegan Worcestershire, paprika, garlic powder and lactic acid to the other half of the cashew cream.
The add in potato starch and the Kappa Carrageenan.

Lay out the cheese mold then transfer both the Colby mixture to a pot set over medium heat.
At this point add in the Jack mixture to a separate pot over medium heat as well.
simmer each for 2-3 minutes, stirring to activate the kappa carrageenan.
Add in a couple drops of carrot carotene to give the Colby a warmer color. This is completely optional.
When the cheese starts to become stretchy and stick to the pan remove from the heat.
Immediately pour half of the Colby cheese into the mold. The pour over half the Monterey jack mix and repeat until the container is full. Make sure the cheeses are smooth before adding to the mold. If they are too clumpy they wont set. You can place in the blender to smooth. If the cheeses become to cool and starts to firm, place back on the heat to melt down before transferring.
Smooth out the tops of block and place in the fridge to set for at least and hour.
Once firm it is ready to eat or transfer to a cheese cloth and allow to sit overnight.
The longer this sits the firmer it becomes. Shred over you favorite dish, serve on a cheese platter or melt it down and enjoy.

🍍 Pro Tips:
*sub coconut milk for any plant based milk. I love the creamy texture of coconut cream but any high fat plant milk will work.
* you can sub 1/2 tablespoons Lemon Juice for the lactic acid. I find that this does give the cheese a little different taste. It is worth buying the Lactic Acid if you plan on making realistic and flavorful plant based cheeses.
*Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.*Use whatever shape that you wish for a cheese mold – glass or ceramic work best.
*It is important to use refined coconut oil which has been de-flavored so your cheese does not taste like coconut.
*If you have a nut allergy this can be subbed for tofu or sesame seeds.

*Sub the Kappa Carrageenan for Agar Agar. This will result in a less firm, more rubbery cheese.
*Sub potato starch for tapioca flour. If you only have tapioca flour double the amount, for potato starch only add in 1 more tablespoon.
*Adding the miso at the end avoids killing the beneficial probiotic in the miso.

🌿 If you make this recipe post a picture on Instagram, tag me, and use the hashtag #veganalohakitchen so I can check it out!