Pure almond paste...gets creative!
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Post by Jo @ including Cake
You may remember this almond butter a few weeks back. Of course it is easy to make your own, but it does require a pretty high powered processor and a supply of almonds and sometimes it's just not practical to make your own....which is a shame since you can do so much with it!
Almond paste is the more accurate terms for a 'butter' made with blanched almonds. Almond butter (as I recently discovered) more typically refers to blended roasted almonds which brings out the real depth of flavour.
almond paste vs almond butter
On the other hand the paste is so mild and subtle, it barely has a flavour just a rich creaminess. This mild taste is actually it's greatest asset as it makes it versatile and suitable for so many things. I've certainly had a lot of fun playing around with it.
First up, keeping it simple with an almond milk blend. There are so many dairy free choices out there, and almond milk is a fantastic option but often so expensive when bought from the supermarket shelves.
So, why not make your own? It literally takes a minute...!
I will step in here and say that I have NOT used a nut bag to strain my milk- many people do take this additional step (and you can by all means) but since I predominantly use milk in my oatmeal or as a liquid in baking then straining was not a key concern for me and it sped up the process dramatically. This milk literally takes 1 minute from start to finish. You can also make a big batch and freeze a few bottles worth. You can also vary the liquid content and make a thicker almond cream, or blend with a few dates, vanilla and spices for a dessert-like custard mix.
Check back for more almond paste recipes in coming weeks...grab yourself a tub here.
Recipe: Fresh almond milk
Makes just over 2 ltrs
Ingredients
1/4 cup almond butter
2 lt ltr filtered water
1 tbs date paste or other sweetener or spices (optional)
*You can add more or less almond butter depending on preferred viscosity. You can also make a thicker cream this way by increasing the proportion of almond butter.
Method
Blend all ingredients together for at least 1 minute until very smooth. Strain through a fine sieve or nut milk bag if desired for the smoothest milk.
Pour into a container and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days (or freeze). Shake the container before using as there will be some settling occur from the almond solids unless the milk has been strained.
