"How do I make dairy-free milk?": Maple Pecan Milk

"How do I make a milk alternative using nuts? Shop bought ones are too expensive."

"I can't find nut milks in my local shop. How do I make my own?"

I have a lot of lactose intolerant friends, and know a lot of lactose intolerant people: they all tend to drink some kind of nut-based milk alternative, most commonly almond. If you compare the prices of cow's milk and nut milks, however, you'll find that the nut milks are about twice as expensive and filled with ingredients you can't pronounce. This inspired me to see if I can make it myself at home.

There are hundreds of tutorials online, but all of them are American and measure everything in cups. In Ireland, people tend to measure things in grams, which is much more accurate and repeatable, yielding the same results each time. To make a nice, creamy nut milk, the ratio is:

1 part (weight) of nuts : 5 parts (weight) of water
Note: water has a density of 1:1, so if you measure a 100ml of water it will weigh a 100g

All you need to do is soak the nuts in the hot water for at least 4 hours, and then blend it up. And to separate the nut sediment from the milk all you need is a clean cotton sock: no need for any fancy equipment! However, if you do have a nut-milk bag, feel free to use it.

When you make your own milk, you can also experiment with flavours and start coming up with interesting summery drinks! If you want slightly thinner milk, just add water until it's how you like it.

This drink is inspired by the Mexican agua fresca known as "horchata", which is a refreshing drink made with long grain rice and almonds, and flavoured with cinnamon. I decided to make an American style drink using that all familiar flavour combination of maple syrup and pecan nuts, which you'll probably have noticed I seem to have a little bit of a fascination with if you've been reading this blog for a while!

Please note: because homemade nut milk doesn't contain any thickeners or stabilisers, if will separate when you keep it in the fridge. This isn't a problem, simply stir before serving.

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DIFFICULTY

Requires using a blender

TIME

About 5 hours, mostly waiting time

RECIPE RATING

Easy!

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INGREDIMENTS

4 ounces (115 grammes) walnuts

4 ounces (115 grammes) pecans

2 UK pints (1⅕ US quarts, 1135 millilitres) hot water

Salt, to taste

2 or 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 millilitres) maple syrup, or maple flavoured golden syrup

Ice, to serve

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METHOD

• In the jug of your blender or in a large glass jug, add in the nuts and cover with the hot water. Cover with a tea towel, and soak for 4 hours, or overnight for a richer flavour.
• When the nuts have finished soaking, blend them on high speed until completely smooth.
• Strain the mixture through a clean cotton sock, or a nut milk bag if you have such fancy equipment, into a jug and then squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the sock. If you blend it well enough, and squeeze it well enough you'll get all 2 UK pints (1⅕ US quarts, 1135 millilitres) of water back as milk.
• Season with salt to make it taste creamier. I find a pinch for each half pint (1¼ cups, 280 millilitres) of drink. Add maple syrup to taste: I like mine to taste as naturally sweet as possible, so I use only a tablespoon (15 millilitres) of syrup, but if you want a sweeter drink add more.
• Chill until completely cold before serving. and serve over ice.

STORAGE

Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, and stir every time before serving

THIS TIME IN 2017: Kitchen Experiment: DIY Bundt Tin

THIS TIME IN 2013: Jammie Dodgers (or Linzer Biscuits) (Wheat Free)

There were no blogs at this time in 2014, 2015, nor 2016.

Death By Chocolate Trifle, Ditch the Jelly and Sherry!

I absolutely, completely hate trifle: the jelly (which I hate in general) soaked into the sponge fingers has the most revolting texture, the canned fruit cocktail is abysmal, and cold custard.... oh, cold custard. My brother and my Dad love it (sans the sherry, because neither of them drinks), but I find it disgusting.

However! There are alternatives to traditional trifle for those who, like me, despise its very existence. At the end of the day, a trifle is simply a layered dessert which includes cream, cake soaked in a flavoured syrup, and some sort of other filling like custard and/or jelly and/or mousse. Once you know the basic formula, the ideas generate themselves.

In this trifle, I chopped two chocolate brownies into little cubes and sprinkled them with a simple syrup flavoured with peppermint vodka (which I made myself). I prepared some chocolate custard following this recipe.

I made a rich chocolate mousse by separating one medium (US large) egg, placing the white in a bowl for whipping, and setting the yolk aside. In a heatproof bowl over a pan of warm water I melted 1 ounce (30 grammes) of plain chocolate and 1 ounce (30 grammes) of unsalted butter. I then quickly beat in the egg yolk and heated it while stirring for a minute.

I whipped the egg white with 1 ounce (30 grammes) of caster sugar to form a stiff peaking meringue. I folded a third of the meringue into the chocolate, then poured the now-lightened chocolate mixture into the rest of the meringue and folded through completely.

In two 10 ounce (280 millilitre) high-ball glasses, I divided the mousse and allowed it to set in the fridge for about half an hour before adding in the brownie pieces, the custard, and then finally some whipped cream with I had lightly sweetened with caster sugar and swirled with a little red food colouring for a festive feel.

One of these trifles is enough to share between two people, so you can divide the mixture among four tumblers or dessert glasses if you prefer!

If chocolate isn't your thing, you can:

• Make individual tiramisu desserts, soaking lady fingers in coffee- and rum flavoured simple syrup, a traditional light marscapone mousse, and some whipped cream.
• Layer slices of jammy Swiss roll with strawberry mousse (like Angel Delight) and cream.
• Gently sprinkle some gingerbread slices with rum and layer with some thick caramel and whipped cream.

However you make your trifle, be sure to keep it in the fridge for no more than 3 days.