Vanilla Bean Almond Milk

Yes. I have made homemade almond milk numerous times on the blog already. So why is this any different? Not even focusing on the inclusion of vanilla beans, this version is hands down, the best homemade almond milk I've ever made. 

And there's 1 easy trick to making it.

Blanched almonds!

Recently, I was at a little blogger get together in Denver. We all headed to Cafe Max for a breakfast/coffee/chat-fest. Ashlae raved about their homemade almond milk and said it was fantastic in their lattes because it didn't have a bitter flavor.  If you've ever made homemade almond milk before you know what she's referring to. It's fairly bitter with a pretty big aftertaste and is quite different from the type of almond milk you buy at the store.

I thought about this before but figured there was some part in the processing of store-bought almond milk where they were able to get rid of this bitter flavor. While it worked just fine in recipes and in cooking things like oatmeal, I could never just drink a glass straight up. 

Sure enough, my almond milk latte came and was smooth as could be. No lingering raw almond flavor at all.

So then I got to thinking...could it be the skin on almonds? When you eat raw almonds they have that same bitter taste but blanched almonds never do. Could blanched almonds possibly solve this problem?

Indeed they could.

That bitter flavor is held completely in the skin of the almond. Take it away and you get perfectly smooth and mildly flavored almond milk. It tastes just like store-bought except better, because the only ingredients are almonds and water. It doesn't have that odd thickness to it that the store-bought kind has. It's totally drinkable.

Of course after making the milk I turned to Google, where I found a boatload of people who have already been making blanched almond milk. Looks like I'm late to the game! But it's a new realization for me and maybe some of you, too!

I started by making plain almond milk with blanched almonds. Then, I boiled the almonds and let them sit in the hot water for 1 1/2 hours for a quick-soak method. You can also let them soak overnight for easy blending. Or, if you have a high-powered blender the soaking is not totally necessary.

I was ecstatic to have homemade almond milk that I actually want to drink! 

You can either blanch raw almonds at home or buy them blanched. I chose to buy them blanched, as there really was no price difference where I bought them.

And then I added vanilla beans and 2 dates for a hint of sweetness. 

And then I was left with what you see below.

Which is the most amazing plant-based almond milk you'll ever taste.

Print Recipe!

Blanched Vanilla Bean Almond Milk gluten-free, vegan // yields: appx. 32oz

• 1 cup blanched almonds
• 3 1/2 cups filtered water
• 2 medjool dates, pits removed 
• 1/2 vanilla bean, beans scraped

Cover almonds with water in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil over med-high heat. Turn heat off, move to a cool burner, and cover with a tight fitting lid. Let sit for 1 1/2 hours. Or, let almonds soak for 4-12 hours. 

Drain and rinse almonds thoroughly. Place in a blender with the filtered water and pitted dates. Blend on low working to full speed for about 30 seconds, until almonds are fully blended. 

Place a nut milk bag over a large bowl and pour the milk through the bag. Squeeze as much liquid through the bag as possible.

Rinse your blender. Place strained milk back in your blender with the 1/2 scraped vanilla bean pod (beans only). Blend for just a few seconds. Pour into a 32oz jar and seal with an airtight lid. Shake before pouring. It's normal that it separates. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can smell/taste when it has gone sour.

Empty almond pulp into a container and store in your fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Or, store in a freezer bag for about 3 months.

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Notes:

• Homemade almond milk is most easily strained with a nut milk bag. They cost about $10 (or less) on Amazon and other sites. Cheesecloth is very difficult and messy to use.
• Almond pulp crackers + bread recipes

I cannot even tell you how excited I am about this realization (that I could have made years prior with the help of Google)!!!!

Happy Friday!

Ashley

Homemade Vegan Eggnog

I’ve never been the biggest eggnog fan.

Homemade Vegan Eggnog | edibleperspective.com

I mean, how is a person who grew up on skim milk supposed to drink eggnog without choking? It was always a little too thick for my liking and I was never sold on the flavor.

I’d rather eat ice cream.

Homemade Vegan Eggnog | edibleperspective.com

My dad, however, loved the stuff. So every year I would take little sips of eggnog here and there just to confirm my distaste for it.

While it’s true I am slightly egg-obsessed, I would rather eat my eggs than drink them. The mixture I’ve whipped up is a thick, slightly sweet milk, spiced with nutmeg and vanilla. It tastes like a dream.

So while this is not like traditional eggnog much at all, it wins my vote by a mile.

Homemade Vegan Eggnog | edibleperspective.com

To make the “milk” base I used almonds and toasted coconut, which creates a rich and nutty base for this mixture. The coconut flavor is mellow but crucial. It doesn’t overpower but adds just the right amount of flavor to the milk.

For sweetness, we’re going au naturel and using dates. And whenever there is an opportunity to add vanilla to something I take it. In this recipe I actually just throw in a piece of the vanilla bean and blend it right in. This adds a lot more vanilla flavor with a lot less vanilla bean. Win.

Homemade Vegan Eggnog | edibleperspective.com

There are a few options for this drink, all depending on what you want.

1. creamy + smooth – Using less water to blend the mixture and straining with a nut milk bag will create a perfectly smooth and thicker nog. This will also result in a richer and sweeter flavor since you’re using less water. This version is in between the thickness of half & half and heavy cream.
2. thinner + smooth – Using more water and straining with a nut milk bag will create the consistency of a slightly thickened almond milk. The flavors will still come through enough, it just won’t be quite as thick. You’ll get more servings with this option.
3. super thick – You can achieve this two ways. You can leave the mixture unstrained (with heavy pulp), or you can strain the mixture and then add back in the exact amount of pulp you choose to thicken.

My favorite was option 1 or 2. Option 1 was definitely a bit richer, but you still got all the flavor with option 2. It really just depends how thick you want it to be.

Homemade Vegan Eggnog | edibleperspective.com

Oh, and don’t forget the booze. Sorry, not a rum fan.

Homemade Vegan Eggnog | edibleperspective.com

Print Recipe!

Homemade Vegan Eggnog

gluten-free, vegan // yields 3-6, 3/4 cup servings

• 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup raw almonds, soaked in water for 6-12 hours
• 2 – 3 1/2 cups water
• 8-10 medjool dates, pitted + soaked in warm water for 1 hour
• 1/2 – 2/3 whole vanilla bean, appx. 5-inches
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• rum or bourbon/whiskey

Preheat your oven to 325° F. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring every 3 minutes until evenly golden brown. Keep a close eye so it does not burn. Let cool.

Rinse soaked almonds. Place coconut, almonds, 2 cups of water, soaked dates, and the vanilla bean into your blender. Turn on low, working to high and let blend for 1-2 minutes until fully smooth. Add more water if desired.

Note: The mixture will seem extremely thick with only 2 cups of water, but when the pulp is strained through a nut milk bag it will be the consistency of cream. Add another cup of water for a slightly thinner strained consistency.

Place a nut milk bag over a large bowl and pour the mixture into the bag, scraping all sides of the blender. Squeeze as much liquid through the bag as possible. Whisk in desired amount of nutmeg and serve over ice with a splash of your booze of choice (optional). Or, refrigerate (sans booze) in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

If a thicker consistency is desired, whisk in a few tablespoons of pulp.

Notes: This may take 1 trial before you figure out the exact consistency and sweetness you prefer. I liked using 3 cups, 9 dates.

I recommend using a nut milk bag for perfectly smooth nog (or nut milk) with no pulp. If you don’t mind a little pulp, cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer will do the trick.

Using 2 cups of water will yield approximately 1 1/2 cups nog.

Using 3 cups of water will yield approximately 2 1/4 – 2 1/2 cups nog.

Homemade Vegan Eggnog | edibleperspective.com

Not sure what to do with your leftover almond/coconut pulp? Then check out my almond pulp crackers and bread recipes. They’ll turn out even more delicious with this vanilla, date sweetened pulp!

Ashley