Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 rounded tablespoon agar flakes (2 rounded teaspoons powder)1
1/2 cup raw cashews nuts
1/3 cup honey or 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 teaspoon Xanthan gum (optional, but especially nice in icing)
1 can coconut milk (or 2 cups soy milk)
Directions:
Stir together the agar and water, and bring to a boil,stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
Place remaining ingredients in blender along with hot agar mixture. Blend on high until smooth, adding water as needed to make 3 1/2 cups total mixture. Pour into a quart container and chill in refrigerator several hours or overnight. For quicker chilling use a larger shallow container.
Hint: Since this recipe needs blending twice, leave the blended mixture (step 2) in the blender in the refrigerator overnight. Then simply re-blend, saving the work of washing the blender and containers twice!
Before using, place chilled mixture (which will be quite firm – almost slice-able) in blender or food processor, and blend until creamy. (If you have a lightweight blender,you should blend just half of the mix at a time.) It should be the consistency of Cool Whip, and spreads on a cake very nicely. Try not to add more liquid. The mixture will eventually go though the blades and become creamy if you carefully push it toward the blades with a rubber spatula.
The agar is a key ingredient in this recipe. The mixture has to be re-blended only once. Then it can be frozen and used without re-blending, but remains a nice creamy texture. So make a double recipe and freeze in small containers to use as needed for icing or dessert topping.
Sources
- Note: “Rounded” (not level) is the key. This extra agar makes the topping stiffer and nicer to use on desserts, and especially as icing on cakes.[↩]