In my college years, I got the majority of my culinary knowledge by watching cooking shows… religiously! However, this was in the mid 2000s, where almost all the celebrity chef recipes were laden with meat, dairy and eggs. I’m pretty sure the word “vegan” wasn’t even mentioned on TV. But I did watch them to find recipes I could veganize, or at the very least, pick up little cooking tips. If a recipe caught my eye, I would see how I could switch out ingredients. If it called for meat, I’d swap it for tofu, seitan or a faux-meat product. If it needed milk, I’d use soy or almond milk. If it had butter on the list, there was always Earth Balance.
However, if a recipe called for heavy cream, I was usually stuck. There really never has been any commercial substitute at the grocery store other than canned coconut milk, and sometimes I don’t want a dish to taste like coconut (as much as I like it, sometimes it’s too strong). But about six years ago, raw cashews gained notoriety in the vegan world as a great substitute for many things creamy. They can be used to make desserts, frittatas, various types of cheeses, and my favorite use: heavy cream!
Yield: Approximately 4 cups
Active time: 10 minutes
Start to finish: 3 hours, 10 minutes
1 1/2 cups raw cashews
Water to cover the cashews
3 1/2 cups water
Notes:
If you do not have a Vitamix or high-powered blender, you’ll need to blend for closer to 2 minutes. You might also need to strain your cream though a fine mesh strainer to get any residual cashew bits out.
Place the cream into an airtight container or mason jar, and refrigerate for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 6 months.
I use this cream recipe for alfredo, caramel sauce, chocolate tarts, ganache, and ice cream... and this list WILL grow. If a recipe catches your eye that calls for heavy cream, use this vegan cream and see if it works for you!
Want more great dairy and egg substitutions for a vegan lifestyle? Join me for The Chopping Block's Vegan Brunch in April at Lincoln Square. We're making lots of great vegan recipes such as Whole Grain Blueberry Muffins, Mushroom and Swiss Chard Quiche, Sweet Potato Hash Browns and French Toast with Maple Pecan Sauce.