While there is good information in the previous writeups I wanted to add a piece of I felt was missing. Soaking your almonds in warm water increases the bioavailability of the nutrients in your final product. Most nuts, seeds and grains benefit from a soak. The following recipe is my amalgamation of several others I have used in the past.
It is in your best interest to buy organic almonds. If you are avoiding wheat or have other food allergies/intolerances please note that almonds are frequently processed with other foods. Blue Diamond is a good brand for raw almonds however I avoid using them for this recipe as they do not sprout. Their commercially produced almond milk is superior to other brands and the last time I checked their almonds were non-GMO. Almonds are typically steam pastuerized, this may affect your efforts.
- 1 Cup (120 grams) raw Almonds
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt - optional
After rinsing allow your almonds to bathe in warm water with or without the optional salt. Your almonds should sprout within eight hours - generally I prepare the nuts at night and harvest the milk in the morning. After sprouting rinse, sort, and remove the skins. Sprouted almonds are quite slippery and must be handled with care. While preskinned almonds are available I have not had as much success with them.
Transfer your naked nuts to the grinder you prefer be it blender or food processor. Coconut oil brings out the sweetness of the nuts, I use a generous tablespoon and a splash of fresh spring water before mixing. You can skip the oil however your milk will be thinner and in my opinion less tasty. The advantage is your containers will be much easier to clean.
Process your almonds and additional coconut oil until you have a slurry. Gradually add water, typically I use four cups of water for every cup of almonds. Run your blender or food processor until your mixture appears to have gone into solution. It will gradually settle however a consistent mix is what you are aiming for here. I store my milk in quart sized European glass yogurt jars. My recipe yields a creamy top, I do not strain the milk so anyone using it must shake it vigorously.
This milk is not bad on its own although if you do not strain it the texture takes some getting used to. I have used this milk to prepare cream based soups, over cereal, and can drink it as a stand alone liquid. It fails miserably at hot cocoa so if someone has a good dairy free substitute that tastes like the real thing I would appreciate that information. My children hate almond milk however they don't complain about it in recipes and sometimes can't tell that it has been used. Best of luck if you try this or any other recipe I've posted.