Basil Mozza Bites

Spiced pine nut brittle + basil cashew butter + vegan cheese + balsamic caviar pearls = awesome vegan hors d'oeuvre. 

To make this hors d'oeuvre, I first caramelized some sugar, then added toasted pine nuts and some spices and hot sauce to cut the sweetness. I let this harden into brittle and broke it into small, irregular pieces. I topped it with a 'buttery' spread I made from pulsing cashews into cream and adding fresh basil and seasonings. I spread some vegan mozzarella cheese on top. This was my first time making vegan mozzarella cheese and I must say, I really like it. Some vegan cheeses are good, some not so good, some are good but aren't very 'cheesy'. This one was very close to fresh mozzarella; composed of coconut milk, flavored mozzarella with coconut vinegar, and thickened with tapioca and xanthan gum. I then topped with one of my favorite molecular gastronomy tricks - one I have used before and could eat like candy - balsamic 'caviar' pearls.