Vegan "Butter " for Spreading and Cooking

As shown above, this vegan butter can be used in baking, for instance, flapjacks or for spreading 

My husband's scientific approach to cooking always pays off! Here is a recipe for something I'm really excited to share with you as it's potentially so versatile and useful. It is a vegan "butter" that is less processed than margarine, adaptable to your needs as you can make it either salted or unsalted, and choose the oil you make it with. It is quite liquid, like melted butter; I'm wondering if using coconut oil would make it more solid. My husband has devised this to contain (as near as possible) the same proportions of oil, protein solids and water as butter, therefore it should be fine as a straight swap for butter in recipes. The first time he made it he didn't use salt and it made crisp vegan flapjacks which held together perfectly (I admit defeat!) Then I made it according to his instructions and added a little salt and tried it spread very thinly on homemade soda bread. Then we put it on jacket potatoes. It tasted yummy! So far these are the only things we have tried it in; it has yet to be tested in pastry, the big challenge. ( I'm thinking it might be difficult to handle because of the nuts, and my husband thinks it might be too dry; I'll test it out this weekend and let you know. ) The following recipe makes 250ml. 

50g plain cashew nuts

25ml water

150ml oil (we used extra-virgin olive oil, but you could use ricebran for a less intrusive flavour. This oil also has a high smoke point so it is safe for baking.

a pinch of seasalt (optional)

• In a food processor or blender, grind the cashews into a fine flour.
• With the motor still running, add the water.
• Next add the oil and salt if using.
• Make sure the mixture is thoroughly blended.
• Keep refrigerated in an airtight container until needed, Stir well before using as it tends to separate.