Wimbledon has started! *pops cork*
I thought I’d celebrate by sharing a raw vanilla cashew cream recipe I adore, inspired by the Honestly Healthy cookbook version.
I have slightly tweaked the ratios and added a splash of this and a dollop of that; it’s that kind of recipe.
Once you’ve perfected this, the joy is that you will use it EVERYWHERE. It’s a great one to have up your sleeve if you have a lactose-intolerant dinner guest or, if like me, you are just dodging dairy for a while. I’ve been off the white stuff for a month or so now and, as advised by my ENT consultant, it has really helped dry up my reoccurring sinusitus (dairy causes us to produce excess mucus in our systems – so if you suffer from any respiratory ailments it might help to avoid it for awhile).
Vanilla Cashew Cream
Makes 300g – so enough to dollop on four portions of strawberries, with a bit of bowl licking.
80g cashews (*tip* I buy broken cashews as they’re much cheaper and you’re going to whizz them up anyway)
175ml water
1tsp vanilla bean paste (DON’T buy essence, you need the thick treacly stuff full of vanilla pod seeds else it will just taste like a naff candle)
Squirt of agave syrup (optional if you find it’s not sweet enough)
1tbsp of rose water
So, this is the #1 easiest recipe. All you need is a blender. And a bit of foresight. You need to soak your cashews in the water for 1-2 hours. A bit longer won’t hurt, it helps get a really smooth cream.
Then add the cashews and half the water to the blender. Whizz.
Keep adding the rest of the water, dribble by dribble, until you are happy you have a good consistency. If you are using the cream for pouring, obviously add more. Or if you want it for dolloping, less.
Then add your vanilla paste and agave syrup if you’re using; whizz a bit more.
Taste: vanilla-y enough? (repeat step before if not).
Added extra: Add a splash of rosewater and do a final whizz. If serving with strawberries it works beautifully.
*Eighties sundae dish – optional*
Enjoy!
CF x