Gruyère

 

Ingredients
2 cups cashews, soaked in water for 3 to 8 hours and drained
½ cup rejuvelac
¼ cup plant butter, warmed or melted
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 to 2 tablespoons medium brown miso
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon xanthan gum

Instructions
Put the cashews, rejuvelac, butter, nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon of the miso, and the salt and xanthan gum in a blender. Process until smooth and creamy, occasionally stopping to scrape down the blender jar and move the mixture toward the blades. Taste and add more miso if desired. Transfer to a clean glass bowl or container, cover, and let rest at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, depending on how sharp a flavor you want and the ambient temperature (fermentation will proceed more quickly at warmer temperatures). The cheese will darken slightly, thicken to a spreadable consistency, and develop a rich but not overly tangy flavor. Cover and refrigerate. The cheese will continue to thicken as it chills.
Enjoy!
Stored in a covered container, Soft Gruyère will keep for about 2 months in the refrigerator or 4 months in the freezer.

Hard Gruyère
Instructions
For a firmer cheese that can be sliced, culture it for 24 to 48 hours, until the desired sharpness and flavor have developed. Transfer to a heavy medium saucepan and stir in 1 tablespoon of carrageenan powder or 2 tablespoons of agar powder with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly, until the mixture is glossy and gooey and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a glass or nonreactive metal mold and smooth the top. Let cool completely at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, until firm.