Plant Milks
Cashew Milk in gelato
Cashew milk is a non-dairy beverage made by blending cashews with water and straining. In gelato it serves as a neutral, mildly creamy liquid base for plant-based formulas, contributing very little solids, fat, or sweetening power.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 1.9% |
| Water | 98.1% |
| Sugars | 0% |
| Fat | 0.8% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 0.4% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 0 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 1 |
Typical use: About 40-65% of a plant-based gelato recipe when used as the primary liquid base.
Balance cashew milk in a real recipe
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Use unsweetened cashew milk as the liquid base of vegan or dairy-free gelato, replacing part or all of the milk and water. Because it is roughly 98% water with almost no sugar, it barely moves PAC or POD, so you must build freezing-point depression and sweetness with your sugar blend (dextrose, sucrose, glucose syrups) as if starting from water. Its low protein means little natural body, so combine with a richer fat and solids source (cashew paste, coconut cream, or added plant fat) plus stabilizers to avoid a thin, icy texture. It reads as clean and lightly nutty, letting other flavors dominate.
Origin & background
Cashew milk is made from Anacardium occidentale, a tree native to northeastern Brazil and spread worldwide by Portuguese traders in the 16th century. As a packaged beverage it is recent: major brands such as Silk and So Delicious launched commercial cashew milk products in the United States in 2014.