Danielle Copperman, author of Well Being: Recipes and Rituals to Realign the Body and Mind, shares her New York-inspired vegan cream cheese recipe made from tofu, perfect for recreating the classic NYC bagel.
Earlier this year I was in New York to launch the US edition of my book, Well Being, and while living in the East Village I frequented one of my favourite delis in the city – Russ & Daughters. It is such an amazing place and quite an experience; a really traditional, family-owned operation specialising in cured fish, bagels and other everyday specialities done inexplicably well. One of the things they’re most famous for are their bagels, for which they have a huge selection of different types of cream cheese, and different types of cured fish. It was here I first discovered tofu cream cheese – a vegan alternative to conventional cream cheese, and one of the most incredible culinary inventions I’ve ever come across.
Taking it upon myself to try and recreate it when I returned home, it turned out to be incredibly easy to make, and just as delicious as the one I’d tried in NY. Whether you’re looking for a new vegan spread for your sourdough, a dip for your crudités or something to add to a little flavour and creaminess to sauces and other hot dishes, this ones for you!
Ingredients:
400g firm tofu
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
pinch salt
6 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp lemon juice
Method:
- Simply add all of the ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Use a tamper to help the mixture blend smoothly, and if you don’t have a tamper, stop the machine a few times to scrape down the sides and keep things moving – the mixture gets quite thick quite quickly so it might need some help. Add a little hot water to help the mixture blend if it becomes too thick, or if you would prefer a slightly smoother, runnier option.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
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