While we're on the subject of making non-dairy milks, has anyone got
any hints on making almond milk? I have a large quantity of ground
almonds, and would like to try and make nut milk with some of them.

From what I've seen on the interweb, the process seems to be roughly:
soak 1 cup ground almonds in 2-4 cups boiling water for 10 minutes,
then strain and add a small pinch of salt and a little sugar or
something else sweet.

2-4 cups of water is quite a range. I think I'll try 2 to start off
with since I can always thin the milk out afterwards. Would it be a
good idea to give the milk a bit of a whizz with my hand blender
before I strain it, or is it unlikely to make any difference? And
given that I have neither muslin nor a very fine sieve, what would be
a good way to do the straining? ("Go and get some decent equipment or
you'll never manage it" is a perfectly acceptable answer to the last.)

Kake

Hi Kake, don't know anything about almond milk but when it comes to
straining I use to take a very thin batiste handkerchief (of course never
used it for its originally meant purpose before ;o)) that I have from
earlier days before the paper throw-away things came up.

HTH.

Regina
--
www.archenoah-kreta.com
As long as man continues to be the ruthless destroyer of lower living beings
he will never know health or peace. For as long as men massacre animals,
they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain
cannot reap joy and love. (Pythagoras)

On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 20:41:39 GMT, Kake L Pugh wrote:

While we're on the subject of making non-dairy milks, has anyone got
any hints on making almond milk? I have a large quantity of ground
almonds, and would like to try and make nut milk with some of them.

From what I've seen on the interweb, the process seems to be roughly:
soak 1 cup ground almonds in 2-4 cups boiling water for 10 minutes,
then strain and add a small pinch of salt and a little sugar or
something else sweet.

Oh, that's way too much work. To make almond milk, I simply blend 1
cup of almonds with 4 cups of water in the blender, strain it (or not
-- I usually just let it settle) and it's good to go.

serene
--
"I can't decide if I feel more like four ten-year-olds or ten four-year-olds." Laurie Anderson , on turning 40.

http://serenejournal.livejournal.com

Serene wrote:
Oh, that's way too much work. To make almond milk, I simply blend 1
cup of almonds with 4 cups of water in the blender, strain it (or not
-- I usually just let it settle) and it's good to go.

Thanks for the advice. I've got ground almonds, not whole almonds, so
I wasn't sure how I should adapt your process to those. I did try
soaking 1 cup of ground almonds in 2 cups of boiling water, and
leaving it to settle, but although some "sludge" has sunk to the
bottom the rest of the milk is still rather "bitty". It's only been
sitting for two hours though, so I'll see how it is this evening.

Oh, or I've just realised - when you said "almonds", did you mean
ground almonds?

Kake

Regina Schmid wrote:
Hi Kake, don't know anything about almond milk but when it comes to
straining I use to take a very thin batiste handkerchief (of course never
used it for its originally meant purpose before ;o)) that I have from
earlier days before the paper throw-away things came up.

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I haven't got any thin
handkerchiefs, nor any unused stockings/pairs of tights (those being
other things I've seen suggested as being useful for straining).

Kake

Kake L Pugh wrote:
Regina Schmid wrote:
Hi Kake, don't know anything about almond milk but when it comes to
straining I use to take a very thin batiste handkerchief (of course never
used it for its originally meant purpose before ;o)) that I have from
earlier days before the paper throw-away things came up.

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I haven't got any thin
handkerchiefs, nor any unused stockings/pairs of tights (those being
other things I've seen suggested as being useful for straining).

Kake


How about one of those reusable coffee filters? I'd let the milk settle
first then strain so as to not clog the filter up too quickly.
What do you do with the left over nut mash?

On Tue, 16 Jan 2007 15:04:23 GMT, Kake L Pugh wrote:

Serene wrote:
Oh, that's way too much work. To make almond milk, I simply blend 1
cup of almonds with 4 cups of water in the blender, strain it (or not
-- I usually just let it settle) and it's good to go.

Thanks for the advice. I've got ground almonds, not whole almonds, so
I wasn't sure how I should adapt your process to those. I did try
soaking 1 cup of ground almonds in 2 cups of boiling water, and
leaving it to settle, but although some "sludge" has sunk to the
bottom the rest of the milk is still rather "bitty". It's only been
sitting for two hours though, so I'll see how it is this evening.

Oh, or I've just realised - when you said "almonds", did you mean
ground almonds?

Oh, no, I haven't used ground for this, just whole or slivered raw
almonds. Sorry; I didn't notice that.

Serene
--
"I can't decide if I feel more like four ten-year-olds or ten four-year-olds." Laurie Anderson , on turning 40.

http://serenejournal.livejournal.com

Elderberry Blossom wrote:
How about one of those reusable coffee filters? I'd let the milk settle
first then strain so as to not clog the filter up too quickly.

Haven't got one of those either! But I think I will get some
disposable coffee filters soon, since I need them for something else,
so I'll try straining the almond milk through those and see if I think
it's worth hunting for something less disposable. Thanks!

What do you do with the left over nut mash?

I was planning to put it in bread. (Cake would work too, but I don't
make cake very often, whereas I bake bread every other day.) Might
make a nice basis for a veggie pate too?

Kake

Serene wrote:
Oh, no, I haven't used ground for this, just whole or slivered raw
almonds. Sorry; I didn't notice that.

No problem; I was just trying to work out where I'd misunderstood!

I tried blenderising what I had, and it got rather less "bitty", but
there were still recognisable grains. I think I'll get some coffee
filters and try straining it through that.

Kake

Kake L Pugh wrote:
Elderberry Blossom wrote:
How about one of those reusable coffee filters? I'd let the milk settle
first then strain so as to not clog the filter up too quickly.

Haven't got one of those either! But I think I will get some
disposable coffee filters soon, since I need them for something else,
so I'll try straining the almond milk through those and see if I think
it's worth hunting for something less disposable. Thanks!

The reusables filter can be had rather cheaply now. I use mine for all
sorts of stuff.


What do you do with the left over nut mash?

I was planning to put it in bread. (Cake would work too, but I don't
make cake very often, whereas I bake bread every other day.) Might
make a nice basis for a veggie pate too?

Kake

Ooo, a veggie pate... that is a good idea.

-nan-

Kake L Pugh wrote:
I tried blenderising what I had, and it got rather less "bitty", but
there were still recognisable grains. I think I'll get some coffee
filters and try straining it through that.

On the other hand, while it really was too bitty to drink, it worked very
well in the swede/potato mash I made to put on top of tonight's root
vegetable pie. Lovely and creamy, didn't need to add marge/butter/olive
oil/etc. Just swede, potato[0], lots of black pepper, and a goodly amount
of nice creamy almond milk.

Kake

[0] Well, OK, Smash, since I wanted a high swedeotato ratio and there's no
way I was going out in today's gales to buy a single potato.

On 2007-01-16, Serene wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 20:41:39 GMT, Kake L Pugh wrote:
While we're on the subject of making non-dairy milks, has anyone got
any hints on making almond milk? I have a large quantity of ground
almonds, and would like to try and make nut milk with some of them.

Oh, that's way too much work. To make almond milk, I simply blend 1
cup of almonds with 4 cups of water in the blender, strain it (or not
-- I usually just let it settle) and it's good to go.

This -- the not straining -- reminds me of an Indian
not-at-all-non-dairy dessert/drink/snack, badam kheer.

100g almonds, raw
1 cup sugar (to taste -- this is far more than I like)
2-3 cups milk
7-8 cardamom pods
7-8 threads saffron
a little ghee or hot water
1/4 tsp almond extract, opt

Soak the almonds in warm water for an hour, then peel them.
Grind them to a smooth paste, adding water as necessary.
Melt some ghee, add the saffron threads, and set aside to steep.
Mix in the milk, and simmer till the raw almond smell decreases.
Add a little almond extract, if desired (I like this).
Mix in the saffron-infused ghee.

This is good hot or cold; mix before serving, if desired. The saffron
flavor will intensify significantly overnight, if you make enough to
keep.

(I expect almond or soy milks would make a fine substitute for dairy
here.)


N.

On Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:14:35 GMT, Natarajan Krishnaswami
wrote:

On 2007-01-16, Serene wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 20:41:39 GMT, Kake L Pugh wrote:
While we're on the subject of making non-dairy milks, has anyone got
any hints on making almond milk? I have a large quantity of ground
almonds, and would like to try and make nut milk with some of them.

Oh, that's way too much work. To make almond milk, I simply blend 1
cup of almonds with 4 cups of water in the blender, strain it (or not
-- I usually just let it settle) and it's good to go.

This -- the not straining -- reminds me of an Indian
not-at-all-non-dairy dessert/drink/snack, badam kheer.

Sounds very yummy, and I'll bet rice milk would work fine.

Serene
--
"I can't decide if I feel more like four ten-year-olds or ten four-year-olds." Laurie Anderson , on turning 40.

http://serenejournal.livejournal.com