Non-dairy milks are increasingly popular and can be made with a single variety of nut or a combination. Using half and half of almonds with something more expensive, such as macadamias or pistachios, makes it a little more affordable. The pulp can be used to make a gluten-free Almond, Banana and Coconut Loaf with Dark Chocolate.
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups raw almonds
4 cups hot water
pinch sea salt
½–1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
maple syrup or honey to taste
METHOD
Place the almonds in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold tap water. Leave on the bench for 12–24 hours.
Drain and discard the soaking water and rinse the almonds well. Place in a blender or high-powered food processor with the hot water, salt, vanilla and maple syrup. Blend on high until very smooth. This will take at least 2 minutes.
Place a sieve over a large bowl and line with a double layer of damp muslin or use a nut milk bag.
Pour in about 1 cup of milk and firmly press through with the back of a spoon until the pulp is quite dry.
Scoop the nut pulp from the sieve into a separate bowl and continue straining the remaining milk in batches.
Transfer to a jar, seal and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Makes about 4 cups
Cook's tip: Make sure the nuts are fresh – rancid nuts are very unpalatable.
Don’t use roasted or salted nuts – raw nuts will give you a creamier, richer result.
The soaking process is important – the enzymes are activated making it more nutritious and the soaked nuts will give you a smoother, creamier texture and a higher yield of milk.
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In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.