Gluten Free Works Gluten Free Resources News and Tips
I love to enjoy this almond milk with cereal, in smoothies, and in hot rooibos tea. I try to avoid drinking it by the glass, because it will usually be gone in a day if I do that.
Vanilla Almond Milk
But it is super refreshing by itself, or when sipped alongside some freshly baked cookies.
You’ll never go back to the store-bought version, again. There is just no comparison to the home-made stuff.
Makes 4 cups
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup raw almonds
4 cups filtered water, plus more for soaking almonds
¾ tsp pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 Tbsp pure maple syrup (we use grade B)
dash cinnamon (optional)
fine-mesh cheesecloth
Directions:
Place almonds in a bowl and cover them with a few inches of water. Soak overnight or for at least 6 hours.
Rinse and drain the soaked almonds and place in a blender (either high speed or regular). Add 1 ½ cups of water and blend with the almonds on high speed, for 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining 2 ½ cups of water, vanilla, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Blend on high speed for another 1-2 minutes, ensuring that the lid is on tightly, to prevent leakage.
To strain, the fine-mesh cheesecloth (doubled over) on top of a mesh strainer that hooks onto the a big bowl, to catch the milk. Be sure to find a deep enough bowl so that the 4 cups of almond milk drains through without touching the strainer. After about 10-15 minutes, press the rest of the milk through the cheese cloth, until no more comes through. Transfer almond milk into a large airtight glass jar; it will keep for up to 5 days.
Wash the cheesecloth in hot water and soak if needed to get out the almond grounds. Lay out to air-dry and reuse for next time.
To make almond meal: Preheat oven to 250. In an even layer, spread out the almond grounds onto a parchment/foil lined baking sheet, breaking up the clumps so it resembles coarse sand. Bake for about 2 hours, until completely dry. Blend in a food processor to grind into a smaller meal. Save in an airtight container for baking or breading.
