Soak the nuts in water in the refrigerator overnight (1). Use a food processor to grind the nuts to a crumbly consistency (2-3). Season, and it’s ready to use in your recipe (4). To make cashew cream, add enough water to cover nuts, purée until smooth (5). Strain (6).

FOR CASHEW RICOTTA CHEESE:

First, soak the cashews in water and keep in the refrigerator overnight. Once the cashews have soaked for the appropriate amount of time (at least one hour; no longer than 24 hours), drain them, and place in a food processor or high-speed blender, along with the remaining ingredients. Process or purée until smooth — it will look like ricotta cheese! If you’re having trouble achieving the right consistency, add water, approximately one tablespoon at a time. The cheese should not be runny, rather, it should be thick and creamy.

FOR CASHEW CREAM:

Similar to the cashew ricotta, the recipe starts with soaking approximately ½ cup of cashews in the refrigerator overnight. Drain and place the soaked cashews in a high-speed blender along with enough water to just cover the top. Purée for one to two minutes until creamy. I also suggest straining before using for a smoother, cream-like texture. You can use this cream in place of dairy cream in any recipe, and your taste buds will be none-the-wiser.