Almond milk is the flavorful, healthy liquid extracted from a mixture of soaked, finely ground almonds and water. Very nutritious and high in magnesium, it can be offered as an alternative to cow's milk for those avoiding lactose, but in Morocco it's simply appreciated as a good-tasting, refreshing beverage. Orange flower water or rose water is traditionally used to impart subtle flavor, but you can use vanilla if you prefer. Honey or sugar may be added as a sweetener.
Allow all day or overnight soaking of the almonds. I'm suggesting that you use raw almonds, but if you're concerned about bitterness, use blanched almonds instead.
Almond Milk should not be confused with an Almond Milkshake, another popular Moroccan beverage which is made by processing almonds in dairy milk.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (approx. 300 g) whole, raw almonds
- tap water, for soaking
- 4 cups filtered or bottled water
- orange flower water (or rose water), to taste
- honey or sugar, to taste
Preparation:
Place the almonds in a bowl and cover with tap water. Leave the nuts to soak overnight or the better part of a day. Drain, rinse and drain again.
Place the almonds in a food processor and add about 2 cups of water. Process the almonds on high speed for a minute or two, until the almonds are very finely ground and a thick puree forms. Gradually add the remaining water and continue to process for another minute or two, until the mixture is thick and creamy.
Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. Pour the almond mixture through the cheesecloth and allow the liquid to drain through. Gather up the cheesecloth around the almonds and squeeze and press the ground almonds to extract as much of the remaining liquid as possible. (The residual almond pulp may be saved for another use, such as adding to baked goods or cereals.)
Flavor the almond milk as desired with a tiny splash of orange flower water or rose water. If desired, also sweeten the milk to taste with sugar or honey.
Chill the almond milk before serving. It will keep for several days in the fridge.
