Fry Another Day

With an ingredient as versatile as cashew milk, the avenues to explore for recipe creation are truly endless. Slip it seamlessly into any formula calling for milk, non-dairy or otherwise, and you’ll have a sure hit on your hands. Finding a vehicle to truly feature and fully honor this typically under-appreciated component, however, is a considerably more challenging task. Milkier than most treats, pudding seemed like a promising concept to start with, but quickly grew boring without additional flavors added to the mix, covering up the delicate essence of cashew and thereby missing the point entirely. It would take much more than a bowlful of plain pudding to satisfy my craving for adventure, but perhaps I was going about the dessert all wrong to begin with. The idea had been sitting right under my nose the whole time, hidden amongst old notes about inspiring desserts yet to grace my kitchen. Leche Frita, or “fried milk,” is essentially very firm cubes of pudding that are pan-fried to a crispy finish. Who knew how drastically the whole package could change with that final kiss of heat?

My rudimentary knowledge of Spanish from the 3rd grade doing me no favors, I took a brief interlude to look up the word “cashew” and that was all I needed to know. Anacardo Leche Frita it was!

Lightly sprinkled with a touch of cinnamon, the crisp exterior gives way to an impossibly soft, creamy center, packed with more vanilla bean flecks than you could count. Decadent in taste but stunningly simple in composition, it’s one of those rare desserts that is greater than the sum of its parts. If you have cashew milk, I’m willing to bet that you already have everything else you need to make this recipe right now. Forget about fussy preparations; it’s little more than a cooked custard allowed to set, and can be prepared well in advance right up to the frying stage. Eaten hot off the stove, still slightly chilled at the very core, the contrast in textures and temperatures turns humble cashew milk into an extraordinary treat.

Anacardo Leche Frita

1/2 Cup Cornstarch
2 3/4 Cups So Delicious Cashew Milk
1/3 Cup Light Agave Nectar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

To Finish:

1/4 – 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
Additional Cinnamon, Optional

In a medium-sized saucepan, vigorously whisk together the cornstarch, cashew milk, and agave, beating out any lumps of starch before setting the pan over the stove. Once smooth and homogenous, turn on the heat to medium, and stir periodically as the liquid cooks. Meanwhile, lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch square baking dish and set aside. Bring to a full boil, mix in the vanilla, and cook for just 30 longer, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan as you stir to prevent anything from sticking and burning, and being careful not to let the mixture boil over the sides. The pudding should have significantly thickened by this point. Turn off the heat, pour the hot pudding into your prepared baking dish, and smooth out the top with your spatula. Let cool to room temperature before transferring the pan to your fridge to thoroughly chill; at least 4 hours.

When the pudding is cold and firm, turn it out onto a cutting board and gently slice it into squares or triangles with a very sharp knife. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger, and gently toss one piece of the chilled pudding in at a time, making sure that all sides are completely covered.

Heat 3 – 4 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saute pan with high sides over medium heat. Once it begins to shimmer, gently lay the pieces of floured pudding in, leaving plenty of space around them for easier access. Cook for 3 – 6 minutes on each side, flipping when golden brown. Move the finished leche frita over to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off the excess oil, and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon just before serving. Repeat with the remaining pudding squares or triangles, adding more oil to the pan as needed, until all pieces are cooked to a crispy perfection.

Makes 10 – 12 Servings

Printable Recipe

Cash[ew] is King

Well, it’s about time! Considering the proliferation of non-dairy milks, populating grocery stores near and far in unprecedented numbers, it seems unthinkable that cashews have been entirely missing in action… Until now. Who better than to unleash the world’s first commercial cashew milk than So Delicious, having proven their mastery of both frozen and refrigerated dairy-free delights? Before I even realized my own unfulfilled nut milk desires, this turned out to be the creamy drink I had been waiting for all along.

Almond milk is my typical go-to milk alternative, a prime candidate for drinking, baking, cooking, and yes, ice cream-ing. From here on in, consider that prime spot in my fridge under serious reconsideration, because So Delicious’ cashew milk performs all of those tasks with equal grace, and of course, great taste. Currently offered in only two flavors, Unsweetened Vanilla and Unsweetened, my only hope would be that the line takes off and expands to include a chocolate option, for those nostalgic chocolate milk cravings.

Both have an excellent viscosity, a moderate thickness without any cloying sensation. Though considerably less rich than homemade cashew milk, for a mere fraction of the calories (35 per cup) it tastes surprisingly creamy and even slightly decadent. A very subtle nutty flavor defines their background flavor, distinctly cashew in essence, and easily minimized when mixed into other recipes. Bearing a clean flavor with no sugar to speak of, they can seamlessly work in any application, a testament to their versatility.

In short, if you don’t give these cashew milks a try, you’re seriously missing out! They may very well replace my almond standby, at least once they gain wider distribution in more mainstream grocery stores.

Don’t just take my word for it, go try them out yourself! I happen to have two freebie coupons in my possession, and I’d much rather they be in your hands, ASAP. If you’d like to win one, leave me a comment by August 30th at midnight EST telling me about non-dairy milk. Write about anything at all, whether it’s a recipe for your favorite variety, a funny story that involves the dairy-free drink, or even a love sonnet if you feel so inspired. Just make sure you fill out your name and a valid email address in the appropriate boxes so I know who to contact. Two winners will be drawn and contacted shortly after the entry period closes. Good luck!

And the winners, as chosen by the wisdom of the random number generator are…

Commenters #14 and #37, otherwise known as Mrs Zuvers and workingonworkingmom. Congrats you two! Expect to hear from me shortly with details on how to collect your prizes.