Soy-kefir cream cheese spread

Prep Time 5

Draining and chilling 1 1

Total Time 1 1 5

Servings servings

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Ingredients

▢ 300 g strained plain soy kefir Use plain, unsweetened soy kefir. Start with about 600 ml; thinner soy kefir loses more liquid, so weigh 300 g after draining. If it is already strained, start at step 3.
▢ 4 tbsp coconut oil Refined, deodorised oil has a neutral flavour; virgin oil adds a coconut aroma.
▢ 2 pinches fine salt

You will need

Fine-mesh sieve
Clean food-grade muslin cloth
Deep bowl
Kitchen scale
Mixing bowl and whisk
Small heatproof bowl
Container with a lid

Instructions

Set a cloth-lined sieve over a deep bowl, with enough space underneath to keep the sieve clear of the drained liquid.
Drain the soy kefir in the lined sieve, covered, in the refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or below for about 24 hours; it should hold its shape on a spoon.
Weigh 300 g of drained soy kefir into a mixing bowl and leave it out for about 15 minutes to lose its chill.
If the coconut oil is solid, melt it gently in a heatproof bowl set in warm water.
Whisk the fine salt into the weighed soy kefir until evenly mixed.
Whisk in the liquid coconut oil a little at a time, mixing continuously until smooth with no oil visible on the surface.
Chill the spread in a covered container for at least 1 hour to firm up before serving.

Let the drained kefir warm slightly before mixing, and keep the coconut oil warm and fully liquid so it does not set into little grains. If the kefir is already strained, allow at least an hour for chilling after mixing.

Storage and safety

Keep covered at 4°C (40°F) or below and eat within 1 day of mixing. Follow the earlier limit if the soy kefir’s use-by date or storage instructions after opening allow less time. Discard if left out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours in total, or 1 hour above 32°C (90°F). Soy kefir may contain traces of milk from its starter culture. If you have a milk allergy, avoid products labelled as containing or possibly containing milk.