Almond milk is a milkshake prepared by using almond. It has a creamy texture and the almonds add the nutty taste. They are sweetened and plain unsweetened one too. This milk is mostly preferred by vegans and people who are lactose intolerant. They are also available in vitamins and nutrients. In comparison to cow milk, almond milk has less of vitamin D. The protein content in this milk is comparatively low for which it is preferred as the best replacement for breast milk. Here in this article, we will discuss various ways to make almond milk. Homemade almond milk is more nutritious and less costly than the sold once. The process is very easy and less time-consuming. Here are the requirements and the process to make almond milk.
How to Make Almond Milk?
The key ingredients for making almond oil are:
- Raw almonds.
- Water.
- Sugar, honey for taste.
So, get prepared with the ingredients to make almond milk. The making process also requires some equipment they are:
- Blender or a food processor.
- Container.
- Nut bag.
- Measuring cup.
Now here are the easy steps for making almond milk:
1.) Soak the Almonds to Make Almond Milk
For best results choose organic almonds they are the best once for this purpose. Soak the almonds overnight or up to 2 days. They will pulp and soak the water. This will help to soften the nuts and enhance the creamy flavor of the drink. You can cover them with a cloth or soak them in a container which can be closed. If you are soaking it 1-2 days prior you can refrigerate it. At times of emergency you can just soak them in hot water this will soften them and give you the rich taste and help you to make the milk quick.
2.) Rinse the Nuts to Make Almond Milk
After soaking the almonds for the required time. You need to drain out the water and rinse them with cold water. The water used for soaking contains phytic acid which is not good for health so discard the soaking water, do not use it for making the drink.
3.) Combine Water and Almonds to Make Almond Milk
After rinsing the almonds with cold water place the clean almonds in a blender for a glass of almond milk you can pour 2.5 cups of water in the blender.
4.) Blend to Make Almond Milk
After placing the proper amount of almond and water. Blend them for 2 minutes. Blend them well so that the nuts break up. As the blending goes on you will notice the white water turns white and opaque. Grind them until the nuts break down to a fine meal. In some cases if the nuts are not soaked well you might need some extra minutes to get the perfect blend of almond and water. You can also blend it for 4 minutes and pause in the middle to check the blend. Stop when you discover the fine broken meal of the almonds. The liquid should be creamier.
5.) Strain the Almonds to Make Almond Milk
For this step be prepared with the nut bag or a cheesecloth and a measuring cloth. Place the nut bag on the measuring mug or a jug. Now detach the blender jug from the food processor and pour the blend into the nut bag. Sometimes you need to hold the bag to keep it firm. Pour carefully and gently so that the nuts get strained properly.
6.) Press the Nut Bag to Strain the Extras
Only pouring will not help you to get the complete blend of the almond milk. To get the complete blend gather the nut or the cheese bag close the opening and hold it firm on the top and squeeze it. Do not forget to clean your hands before doing this. The extra liquid will leak out of the bag. You can also add a little amount of water to drain the milk from the nut bag and squeeze it again.
7.) Sweeten the Milk
If you want to sweeten the almond milk add sugar for sweetening. If you want to avoid putting on additional calories you can use honey for sweetening of the almond milk.
8.) Vanilla to Almond Milk
If you want to add the taste of vanilla and cinnamon add chopped vanilla beans while placing the almonds in the blender (step 4). Then blend them properly. If you don’t have chopped vanilla beans than just add some vanilla ice cream to the refrigerated almond milk.
9.) Chocolate Almond Milk
To give the almond taste you can add some Cocoa along with the almonds. Place the cocoa with the almonds for the blending process. You can also add chocolate syrup if you want. Add the syrup while serving or half way through the blending process.
10.) Dates for Almond Milk
You can also add dates to your almond milk to give you the rich taste. For this, you need to soak the dates to soften it like almonds. But soak it for a while like 1-2 hours to enhance the process. Place them in the blender along with the nuts for the proper blend of the taste.
11.) Cinnamon Almond Milk
Some people prefer the essence if cinnamon. If you like cinnamon add a pinch of cinnamon to the almond milk during the blending process. You can pause the processor for a while and add some cinnamon and continue blending.
12.) Refrigerate the Almond Milk
After the above process, you can pour it into a container and refrigerate it. If you have to serve to pour the milk and serve cold once. You can store the almond milk for 2 days. Do not forget to use a proper container and close the container properly to refrigerate. If you want to pasteurize it heat up the almond milk on the stove and refrigerate it after you cool them up.