Soy Yogurt Cheese

I read somewhere about making yogurt cheese years ago. Intrigued, I immediately applied the concept to soy yogurt, with rather awful results. It was sticky, sweet and really gloopy. When unsweetened soy yogurts began to be available though, I revisited the yogurt cheese trick and was much more successful, and got results like the soy yogurt cheese that was used to fill the crepe pictured above. The process is a snap, but it does require just a little bit of advance planning.

Begin by lining a colander, if you have one, with a large coffee filter or cheesecloth. Place the colander in a larger bowl or on a plate with a lip to collect the liquid that will strain out. If you do not have a colander, an effective DIY work-around is to use some strong tape, i.e. packing tape or duct tape, to affix a coffee filter over a bowl. You’ll want to be sure that your taping job is secure all the way around because the yogurt is heavy and will pull on the filter and if it all falls into the bowl the liquid will not strain away.

Once you’ve arranged for a straining architecture, empty a container of unsweetened soy yogurt into the strainer. Then, simply wait. That's it. That's the process.

I tend to leave the yogurt to strain over the course of a day, setting it in the fridge at breakfast and waiting until dinner time to begin working with it, but you can give it as little as two hours to strain.

As the yogurt sits, the extra liquid will strain away and leave a thick, more concentrated substance behind. It will have the consistency of a soft cream cheese.

Waste not: the liquid that drains away can be useful. Basically, when you strain the yogurt, you are creating vegan whey. Reserve the veg-whey for use in baking, using it to replace any water or non-dairy in your recipes.

Ok, so now what?



Fried Soy Yogurt Cheese

soy yogurt cheese
breadcrumbs with added fresh or dry basil and fresh ground pepper
olive oil

Form palm-sized patties and dredge them in the herbed breadcrumbs. Place gently in a frying pan with warmed olive oil and brown on both sides.

Serving options:
Place two patties on top of baby greens, tomatoes, and red peppers and finish with a balsamic vinegar dressing for a light main course salad.

Add to warmed bread spread with tomato sauce and layered with sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and slices of roasted eggplant for a twist on a parmesan sandwich.

Make smaller balls or tiny patties to serve as appetizers with a bell pepper coulis or tomato sauce.

Spiced or Herbed Soy Yogurt Cheese Spread:

1 cup soy yogurt cheese
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder or crushed clove of garlic
½ teaspoon ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients well and chill.

Serving options:
Serve with cut veggies, spread on bread for a quick snack or a wonderful addition to a sandwich. Of course, any herbs or spices can transform this spread for whatever your purposes may be. Make a tangy and rich spread with fresh chervil, some squeezed lemon, and few twists of fresh ground pepper for a great spread on fresh sourdough or cooled biscuits—perfect picnic fare.

Sweet Soy Yogurt Cheese

2 cups soy yogurt cheese
3 Tablespoons or to taste agave or maple syrup
1 teaspoon, fresh squeezed lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all ingredients well and chill.

Serving options:
Use as a low-fat, higher protein replacement for Tofutti cream cheese. It’s a great spread for bagels or as a filling for breakfast crepes. Just spread the filling in a thick line down the middle of a crepe, fold in on both sides and either serve immediately with a dollop of jam or quick fruit sauce or bake at 350 until warmed all through, about 15 minutes.