Cookook Review: “The Best Homemade Vegan Cheese & Ice Cream Recipes” by Marie Laforêt

The best pesto I’ve ever tasted was vegan. And I have enjoyed vegan mayo. Therefore, although I’m not vegan, I can appreciate that vegan recipes can be quite tasty. When the opportunity to review Marie Laforêt’s book, The Best Homemade Vegan Cheese and Ice Cream Recipes, came across my desk, I said, “Yes!”

Summary of The Best Homemade Vegan Cheese and Ice Cream Recipes

Being deprived of the joys of dairy can be a terrible thing. Whether you’re vegan or just want (or need) to go dairy-free, do you have to live a life bereft of ice cream and cheese? Not if Ms. Laforêt has anything to say about it. Her cookbook is filled with vegan versions of cheeses and ice creams.

Part One covers vegan cheese, first giving you an overview of the basics and then diving into the recipes. With this book in hand, you can make vegan Parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, feta, ricotta and more. And that’s just the classics. She also has recipes for fermented cheeses such as Cashew Cheese and Kombucha Cheese; and specialty cheeses such as Nacho Cheese Sauce and Kimcheese.

Part One covers vegan ice cream. Again, she provides an overview of key ingredients and essential tools, as well as a recipe for making vegan ice cream cones. The recipes are organized by “Ice Cream and Sorbet,” “Ice Pops, Bars and Cones,” and “Delicious Frozen Desserts.” The recipes I’m looking forward to trying out the most include Pistachio Ice Cream, Banana Blueberry Milkshake Pops and Vanilla Pear Hazelnut Biscuit Log.

What Worked for Me

The Best Homemade Vegan Cheese and Ice Cream Recipes is a beautiful cookbook. The photography is mouthwatering and the design is pleasing to the eye. The recipes are easy to follow and provide both standard and metric measurements.

The organization is clear and it is fairly easy to find the recipe you want either by going to the appropriate section or using the index. The content makes bringing vegan recipes to life engaging and inviting.

What Didn’t Work for Me

This is my standard complaint. The book is printed on thick paper and is perfect bound, which means keeping a page open is like performing an acrobatic routine.

What I’d Love to See in the Second Edition

I would love to see a more flexible binding that made the book usable, rather than something you merely flip through for the pictures. Barring that, why not provide the recipes for download so readers can print out the recipe they want to follow. These could easily be provided in a membership site accessible only to those who have the book.

Recommendation

If you are vegan or dairy sensitive and have been missing the tang of good cheddar cheese or the creaminess of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, then get a copy of this book. You may have to fight to keep the book open, but the results just might be worth the effort. No one should be denied an ice cream sundae!

Rating for The Best Homemade Vegan Cheese and Ice Cream Recipes

Pick up your copy on Amazon.com here.

NOTE: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you’ve read past book reviews, you’ll know that I don’t pull my punches when I believe they are warranted. I also try to provide balanced information so you can make your own decision to read or not read the book, even if you disagree with my opinion.