DIY Almond Milk Recipe
Not always does the non-dairy milks come from the grocery store. You can prepare them easily at home – fresh and pure! Resign to the thickeners and artificial ingredients in your dairy substitutes with this DIY Almond Milk recipe, and that with no special tools or equipment’s than a food processor or blender.
Homemade almond milk has a very light and subdued flavor. Basically it’s like a blank canvas to which you can beef up with your favorite additions. Although this DIY almond milk recipe uses cinnamon, vanilla essence, agave honey, and nutmeg, but you could substitute them with ingredients like dates, or maple syrup to sweeten it, together with the spices that you might savor.
The recipe also delivers a bonus byproduct – ground up almonds, that you can put to use as a protein addition to smoothies, hot chocolate or as a flour substitute in cookies. Also, you could dehydrate and keep them stored for further uses like in making crusts, or a quick body scrub. This fringe benefit can be kept stored in refrigerated for up to 4 days, or deep freeze them for a longer shelf life. Also, the almond milk doesn’t require refrigeration which makes it a nutritious staple to pack and carry to your workplace, or when traveling!
Some almond milk recipes might suggest you to remove the skin of soaked almonds for the aesthetic reasons before processing. However, for this step is time, you might want to skip on it. After you strain the almond milk, it is only a very little of the almond skin that remains behind. It is recommended to let your soaked and ground up almonds steep in boiling water for at least 10 minutes before straining out the solids. Contradictory to the cold water, hot water helps wheedle a superior nutty flavor together with a rich texture.
Almond milk is not only compelling to the tastes of dairy-averse people but also the milk-lovers do delight on it.
HOW TO MAKE DIY ALMOND MILK:
Recipe Yield: About 4 cups
Time: 30 minutes (partially unattended) plus 8 to 12 hours for soaking the almonds
INGREDIENTS:
- Raw Almonds – 1½ cups
- Agave Honey – 1 tablespoon
- Vanilla Extract – ½ teaspoon
- A pinch of Celtic Sea Salt
- Ground Cinnamon to taste
- Freshly Ground Nutmeg to taste
PROCEDURE:
- Grab a large bowl and put almonds into it. Add enough of water covering the almonds by 2 inches. Keep the almonds soaked in water at a room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, drain the soaked almonds and transfer them to a food processor or blender.
- Add 1 cup of water (room-temperature) to the almonds. Process them for 1 to 2 minutes. Make sure the mixture has a thick-paste-like consistency.
- Transfer the paste to a medium-sized bowl and add 2 cups of the boiling water. Let the ground almonds paste steep for about 10 minutes.
- Now, working in batches, ladle the almond mixture into a medium to fine-mesh metal strainer that’s set over a large bowl. Using the back of a spoon, press the ground almonds to extract as much almond milk as you could (Reserve the ground up almonds byproduct for other uses).
- Add agave honey and vanilla extract to the almond milk. Also, add to it a pinch of sea salt, ground cinnamon, and freshly ground nutmeg. Whisk to combine well. You might want to taste and adjust the seasonings or any other additions as per your taste. Serve your DIY almond milk at room temperature or chilled.
Note: You can keep the almond milk stored in refrigerated in an airtight jar/container for up to 4 days.
MORE:The Ultimate Seeds and Sprout Salad Recipe | Healthy, Yummy and Fat-Burning