Almond Milk Recipe

Almond Milk Recipe
Soaked almonds - ready for nut milk making.

All that you need to make almond milk is almonds and water. Oh and there's a couple extra bits of equipment - a blender and a muslin/cheesecloth or nut milk bag (or old pillowcase).

This recipe makes 1L almond milk, and is adapted from a recipe in Love Your Guts by Sally Joseph)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 4 cups/1 Litre of water

Special Equipment

  • Blender
  • Nut milk bag or muslin/cheese cloth

 Method

  1. Place almonds in a bowl or large jar and cover with filtered water.
  2. Soak for 8-12 hours or overnight
  3. Rinse thoroughly
  4. (Optional step) Peel the nuts - this is a matter of personal preference. Peel while wet so the skins come off easily.  When you make the nut milk a lot of the skin either sinks to the bottom of the blender and gets caught in the pulp, so peeling will not make a huge difference to the final product.
  5. Place almonds and water in a blender increase the speed to high gradually. Keep on high until all the nuts are completely blended. 
  6. Strain the milk by placing in a nut milk bag or muslin/cheesecloth over the opening of a glass jug or bowl.
  7. Pour the milk into the bag or cloth (in several small batches) and then squeeze the bag or cloth tightly with your hands until every last drop of milk is extracted. 
  8. Remove the leftover nut pulp and freeze or refrigerate to use for baking, or put on a tray in the oven at 100C/200F for about 3 hours until dry and then store.
  9. Pour the nut milk into a jar or containers for use and store in the fridge or freezer.  Use with 24-48 hours in the fridge. 

Homemade almond milk keeps for about 2-3 days, so if not using that day or the next, then store in the freezer in small containers and defrost for use (again within 1 or 2 days).  You'll know if it had gone bad as it has a sour smell and goes a bit yellowy.

To Defrost 

To defrost, you can pop the almond milk back in the fridge.  To defrost quickly - pop it out of the freezer and put the container in some tepid water or on the bench. Then you can use it, and pop any leftovers back in the fridge and use within a day or two.   If short of time, once the frozen milk block will shift from the container, you can defrost it quickly by popping it in a pan on very low heat for about 5-10 minutes and use immediately. 

Photos of the Process

Soaking, peeling and blending nut milk

Straining, squeezing and storing nut milk

About Nut Milk

History

The first recorded use of almond milk was in the 12th century.

Serving ideas

  • In teas & coffee & hot chocolate
  • In milkshakes – banana, nut milk and vanilla bean is a winner
  • Use as a non-dairy alternative when making white sauces, and experiment with using for other dishes that otherwise are traditionally made with a dairy milk.

Favourite Nut-milk Recipe - Banana N'ilk Shake

Ingredients

  1. ½ cup Almond Milk
  2. 1 or more very ripe bananas
  3. ½  cup water
  4. Vanilla pod (optional but sumptuous) or ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Method 

Scrape seeds from Vanilla Pod.  Add almond milk + ripe bananas + water + vanilla seeds together.  Blend. Enjoy immediately. 

Favourite ways to use the nut pulp

  • In muffins
  • Almond pancakes    

Almond Pancakes Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 serve almond pulp
  • 2 eggs
  • Small amount of butter or coconut oil

 Method

  1. Mix the egg and almond pulp together
  2. Put a pan on low-medium heat.         
  3. Add small amount of butter or coconut oil to grease the pan.
  4. Put tablespoon amounts of the mixture spaced out in the pan.
  5. Fry on low-medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  6. The first batch might stick and go to mush – but the second batch onwards usually flips nicely.