Cultured Cashew Yogurt Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 quart homemade cashew milk
• 2 tablespoons plant-based yogurt or 1/4 teaspoon powdered yogurt starter
• OPTIONAL:
• 1/2 cup rolled oats (See Cook’s Tips)

Directions:

1. Place cashew milk into a sauce pan. Heat, stirring constantly, until it boils. This ensures that only the yogurt cultures will grow and reduces the chance of spoilage. It also thickens the milk, making it spoonable once cool.
2. Transfer milk to a bowl and set the bowl in a larger bowl of ice water. Stir constantly until mixture cools to 110°F. (See Cook’s Tips)
3. Stir in plant-based yogurt starter. This will introduce the live, active yogurt cultures to begin fermentation.
4. Transfer to a multi-cooker, secure the lid, and select “yogurt” setting. This will hold mixture at around 100°F. Ferment 8 to 10 hours. The longer you ferment, the more tart it will become. Taste periodically. It’s ready when your taste buds say so!
5. Transfer to a container and chill completely. Use within 14 days. Save 2 tablespoons of the yogurt to start your next batch.
6. Cook’s Tips:
7. Adding rolled oats is optional, but the starches in the oats will help create a thicker, more pudding-like result. To use, soak oats in a quart of cashew milk 30 minutes. Blend on high until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Proceed with Step 1.
8. The mixture must be cooled below 110°F because any hotter and the yogurt cultures will be killed by the heat. The water bath method is the fastest, but you could also transfer the bowl to the fridge, giving it a stir every 5 minutes or so.