When I did a quick Google search on “chocolate cheese,” I came across this dubious Paula Deen concoction that includes, among other things, a half pound of Velveeta and two boxes of confectioner’s sugar.  Also the Wikipedia entry for Weezer’s album, Chocolate and Cheese; Frankenmuth Cheese House and Michigan State University’s Chocolate Cheese Confection.  Oh, and a LOT of recipes for chocolate cheesecake.  It looked as if I was pretty much on my own.  I’d had chocolate (dairy) cheese at some point in my life and what I remember is that it wasn’t terribly sweet and it had a nice sour tang to it.  My goal was to recreate what I remembered.

Somehow that is exactly what I created.  Excellent on crusty bread and eaten straight up, it would also work wonderfully rolled into crepes and spread on pancakes and waffles or schmeared on apple and pear slices.  I’ll bet you could think of other creative ways to use this cheez as well.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup slivered, blanched almonds, soaked for a few hours and drained
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk, divided
• 2 tbsp. agar flakes
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp. white miso paste
• 3 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp. coffee flavoring, optional
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the lemon juice with 1/2 cup of the almond milk.  Set aside for 10-15 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining almond milk and agar flakes until boiling, turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, in a blender, add the milk/lemon juice mixture, almonds, miso, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, cocoa powder, coffee flavoring and vanilla extract.  Process just to combine.  When the milk/agar mixture is ready, slowly pour it into the blender and process at low speed.  Cover the blender and process on higher speed until the mixture is very smooth.  Immediately pour into three small ramekins.
4. Allow to set in the refrigerator for an hour or two.  It will become firm, but have a creamy texture that is very spreadable.