People often call milk made from nuts "nut milk" or "plant-based milk." This is a dairy-free alternative to milk made from animals. The most common way to get milk from nuts is to soak them, blend them with water, and then strain the mixture. Here is a step-by-step guide to getting milk out of nuts:
Soaking: Put the nuts in water for a certain amount of time, normally overnight or for a few hours. Soaking the nuts softens them, which makes it easier to blend them and get the milk out of them. Depending on the type of nut, the time it takes to soak can change. For example, almonds may need 8–12 hours, while walnuts may only need 2–4 hours.
Draining and Rinsing: Once the nuts have been soaked, drain them and wash them well under cool water. This step helps get rid of any dirt or waste left over from soaking.
Blending: Put the nuts in a blender or food processor after they have been soaked and cleaned. Add fresh water, about 1 part nuts to 3–4 parts water, based on how thick you want the mixture to be. You can change the amount of water to make the milk thicker or thinner.
Blending and Straining: Blend the nuts and water at high speed until you get a smooth, creamy mixture. During the mixing process, the nuts break down and their natural oils come out, giving the mixture a milk-like consistency.
Straining: Use a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, or a fine-mesh strainer to strain the mixed mixture to separate the pulp or solids from the liquid. Gently squeeze or press the mixture to get as much liquid as possible out of it while leaving the pulp behind.
Optional Flavorings: At this point, you can add more flavorings like vanilla extract, dates, maple syrup, or a pinch of salt, if you want to. Mix again for a short time to spread the spices out.
How to store: Put the fresh nut milk in a clean, sealed jar and put it in the fridge. Depending on the type of nut used, homemade nut milk usually stays fresh for about 3–4 days.
It's important to remember that the amount of nuts to water and the length of time they soak can change based on your tastes and how thick you want the nut milk to be. You can find the right mix for your taste by trying out different amounts and methods.
Almonds, cashews, walnuts, and hazelnuts are nuts that are often used to make plant-based milk, but you can also use other nuts or even seeds like hemp or flaxseeds to make milk with different tastes and textures.