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Almond Cream Cheese Topped With Herbs

Serves: 8
Prep: 15 min + 6 hours soaking + 12 hours setting
Cook: 0
    This delicious cream cheese is made with the goodness of almonds, which provide only healthy fats and plant protein. Although it’s easy to make, you will need to start this recipe about 48 hours before you want to eat it. Nuts lower your cholesterol and dampen the blood sugar raising effect of carbohydrate foods that you serve them with.

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    Ingredients

    • 1 cup blanched almonds, soaked in water for at least 6 hours
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 1 tablespoon extra for garnish
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 juiced lemon)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 clove garlic, peeled
    • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

    Method

    1. Drain soaked almonds and rinse well, then place in a high-powered blender.
    2. Add oil, lemon juice, salt, garlic and ½ cup of water. Puree for a few minutes until really smooth and creamy white, resembling thick whipped cream. You might need to stop and re-start the blender a few times to scrape down the sides.
    3. Remove cream from blender and divide into 2 portions. Spoon each portion onto 3 layers of cheesecloth, which you have placed over a small strainer and sit each over a bowl. Pull up the sides of the cloth and twist into a ball to remove any excess water. Transfer to the fridge to firm for at least 12 hours.
    4. Unwrap the cloths to remove the 2 cheese mounds and invert each onto a serving plate. Press down to slightly flatten to about 2-centimetre (¾-inch) thickness and smooth edges. Sprinkle with herbs and drizzle with extra olive oil just before serving. Serve with wholegrain bread or crispbread. Recipe freezes well.

    Tips

    • A fine-meshed nylon nut bag can also be used. Purchase online or from health-food stores.
    • Blanch your own almonds: After soaking overnight, simply cover with boiling water for 20 minutes, squeeze almonds with 2 fingers to slip off their skin. This will require an extra 8 minutes of preparation time.

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