"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.

~~ ^ _ ^ ~~

DIFFICULTY

Requires using a blender

TIME

About 5 hours, mostly waiting time

RECIPE RATING

Easy!

~~ ^ _ ^ ~~

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

~~ ^ _ ^ ~~

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.

Recipe Revision: Maple Pecan Pie (Options to make a Wheat- and Dairy Free Version)

November is a bit of a non-month here in Ireland, traditionally: you know how January is a bit of a non-month at the start of the year? Well, November is the traditional Celtic January. In England, there's bonfire night on the 5th; in America, there's Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday; but here, it's just the waiting period between Hallowe'en and Christmas, with no real identity of its own.

As such, it's kind of difficult to come up with any nice and interesting baking projects. The only event  I feel is worth baking for in November is my Dad's birthday, on the 16th, which is obviously specific to my family with no widespread relevance, like any other family birthday. So only things you can really do is to capitalise on Thanksgiving, which is not a native festival here, but it is gaining popularity, particularly the Black Friday sales.

Which is exactly what I've done here: I've taken a traditionally American and Canadian treat and done a local version using ingredients commonly available in Ireland. There's no corn syrup here: in this recipe, I use golden syrup, and maple flavoured golden syrup. In my previous maple pecan pie attempt a few years ago, I tried using actual maple syrup, but I personally prefer the taste of maple flavoured golden syrup: it has a stronger, albeit slightly synthetic, smoky flavour.

This recipe uses the exact same ingredient ratios as the chocolate fudge tart I made in May, but the chocolate has simply been replaced with syrup: it makes for a sticky sweet treat, with just enough egg to set the middle into a gloriously sticky custard filling, chock full of roasty toasty pecan nuts. It's a truly decadent treat, to be enjoyed in small doses with ice- or whipped cream.

~~ ^ _ ^ ~~

DIFFICULTY

Requires mixing (and pastry making skills if you're making your own pastry case)

TIME

About 2 hours

RECIPE RATING

Easy!

~~ ^ _ ^ ~~

INGREDIMENTS

Makes one 8 inch (20 centimetre) deep dish pie, weighing roughly 2¼ pounds (1 kilogram)

One 8" (20 centimetre) deep pie crust

3 ounces (85 grammes) golden syrup

3 ounces (85 grammes) maple syrup, or maple flavoured golden syrup

4 ounces (115 grammes) unsalted butter, or margarine

1 tablespoon (15 millilitres) lemon or orange juice

6 ounces (170 grammes) soft light brown sugar

2 teaspoons (10 millilitres) vanilla essence

2 medium (US Large) eggs, beaten

6 to 8 ounces (170 to 225 grammes) pecan nuts, toasted

Optional: 1 shot (35 millilitres) spiced rum

~~ ^ _ ^ ~~

FREE FROM

Nuts, wheat (if you make your own pastry), yeast

CONTAINS

Gluten, dairy (italics show alternatives), eggs, refined sugar,

~~ ^ _ ^ ~~

METHOD

• If you're making your own pie crust, blind bake it and allow it to cool. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas Mk.4)
• In a small saucepan, heat together the syrups, butter, and lemon juice only until the butter is melted, stirring occasionally. 
• Remove from the heat and mix in the sugar and vanilla essence, and rum if using. Allow to cool slightly before adding the eggs.
• Using a balloon whisk, vigorously beat in the eggs until the mixture is smooth.
• Scatter three-quarters of the nuts on the base of the pie crust. Pour in the filling, then add enough nuts to nearly fill the pie crust completely; this pie doesn't rise much, if at all. Make sure to poke down the nuts so they are all covered in syrup.
• Bake on the centre shelf of the preheated oven for 45 minutes to an hour, until the centre is puffed up and no longer liquidy; a little jiggly is okay. If the pastry is browning too quickly, over with a large piece of tin foil.
• Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool completely in the pie dish on a wire rack. If you want to remove the pie from the tin to serve, chill overnight before unmoulding.

STORAGE

As with all things made with pastry, this is best enjoyed within 3 days of eating, kept in an airtight container at room temperature. However, it can keep in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.

Halloween 2016: Maple Peacle Tarts (Wheat Free)

Continuing in the vein of Halloween treats, here is a tasty American style morsel for you: maple peacle tarts!

Yes, before you correct me, I know it's a pecan, not a peacle. But, this recipe combines the powers of a maple pecan pie, and a treacle tart. It's a bit of a Transatlantic experience.

Here in Ireland, maple syrup is incredibly expensive, as I discussed in my post on a full sized maple pecan pie. Luckily though, maple flavoured golden syrup is a thing! I prefer using it because it has a stronger--albeit synthetic--flavour, whereas natural maple syrup's flavour is much more subtle

As you can see in the picture, I used the wrong kind of cutter for the tarts: I tried to be all artsy and use a flower shaped cutter, but it meant that the filling overflowed. Take it from me: do traditional cases with a round cutter.

This recipe could very easily be adapted for the good American Thanksgiving celebration coming u in November, as I understand maple pecan tart is something eaten at a holiday family meal in the States. Or it could be eaten pretty much anytime!

FREE FROM

☑ Soya (check for soya lecithin)
☑ Yeast
☑ Wheat
☑ Nuts

CONTAINS
☒ Eggs
☒ Dairy (dairy substitutes can be found in italics)
☒ Gluten
☒ Refined sugar products


INGREDIMENTS
For 12 tarts

For the pastry

• 8 ounces (225 grammes) white spelt flour
• 4 ounces (115 grammes) butter, at room temperature, or margarine
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) icing sugar
• Cold water, to bind

For the filling

• 8 ounces (225 grammes) maple flavoured golden syrup
• 3 ounces (85 grammes) ground almonds
• 1 medium egg
• 2 ounces (55 grammes) chopped pecan nuts
• Zest of half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon (15 millilitres) lemon juice
• 12 full pecan nut halves

METHOD

• Make the dough according to the instructions found here. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap in cling film, and chill for an hour.
• When chilled, preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF, Gas Mk. 4)
• Roll out the dough to an eighth of an inch (3 millilitres) thick, and cut into 3 inch (8 centimetre) rounds. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with the rounds, and prick the bases with a fork. Crumple up squares of tin foil to fill each case, and cook for 15 minutes, or until golden.
• While the cases are baking, prepare the filling. Mix all the filling ingredients except for the nuts in a mixing bowl until smooth.
• When the cases are cooked, remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 150ºC (325ºF, Gas Mk. 2). Remove the tin boil balls, and divide the chopped nuts between the cases. Divide the batter between the cases, filling almost to the top, and place a pecan half in each tart.
• Tap gently on the work surface, and return to the oven for a further 20 to 25 minutes, or until the centres have set and they are golden and crusty on the top.
• Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

These tarts are super sweet, in true Halloween treat fashion! Enjoy with caution. These will keep in an airtight container for up to a week, if they last that long.

Kitchen Experiment: Maple Pecan Pie

I hope everyone has got great plans for the weekend! I have anyway: a good friend of mine is down visiting from Roscommon for the World Power Lifting Championships that are on in Limerick, of all places. While she is down, we're taking the opportunity to have a mini Halloween house decorating party! We will be doing a bit of baking, and hanging up pound shop tat, and watching Tim Burton movies till our eyes come out.

As I promised in my last post, the first after a long compassionate break, I am going to let you in on the process that I followed for my most recent concoction: maple pecan pie!

Sunday was Thanksgiving in Canada, and my Canadian work colleague invited my brother and I to celebrate with his wife and a few friends. They had a variety of food, and it was really lovely to experience what is traditionally eaten as part of dinner, and also to be part of their pre-dinner tradition of introducing ourselves in turn to the guests at the table, and saying one thing we're thankful for. I'd love to do that before every meal anymore.

They had turkey (of course), roasted root vegetables, steamed broccoli, mashed sweet potato with maple syrup and walnuts, and stuffing. For dessert, other guests had brought apple pie and cinnamon rolls, and I brought my offering of a tart (snicker).

I did a bit of research as to what kinds of desserts are popular for eating after a Thanksgiving meal. Most of my research turned up results about Thanksgiving in the States, but my colleague assured me they eat pretty much the same things in Canada. I was originally thinking of doing a pumpkin pie, but pumpkins weren't on sale yet when I had to make something to bring.

This was a complete experiment: I'd never made a pie like this before. I read a few recipes online, and checked a few in my numerous cookbooks, and most of the recipes were the same. They all followed the basic formula of one 9 inch (22 centimetre) pie shell, filled with a mixture of 3 medium eggs, 6 ounces (170 grammes) brown sugar, 3 ounces (85 grammes) melted butter, 4 fluid ounces (120 millilitres) of maple or corn syrup, and about 5 ounces (140 grammes) chopped pecan nuts. Some recipes asked for the filling to be thickened with a little flour, and some asked for more syrup.

However, there was always one things on which the various recipes I read could not agree: was the crust blind baked or not.

So, I followed the recipe from one of the cookbooks I had which asked for the raw pastry and filling to be cooked at the same time. This meant cooking the pie at 200ºC (400ºF, Gas Mk.6) for the first half of cooking, then at 150ºC (300ºF, Gas Mk.2) for the second half. 

I made a nice buttery pastry case, using a traditional shortbread crust like I did on my treacle tarts that I made a few months back. I then filled it with chopped pecan nuts, and poured in the filling. I cooked it as instructed. The result looked wonderful, but on eating it was revealed that it had gone soggy in the middle. It still tasted epic, though.

After cooking, I then laid some whole pecans on top, glazed them with extra maple syrup, then gave it another 10 minutes to set them into place; worked a treat. Although, this recipe was very heavy on my bottle of maple syrup, which my brother had bought while on his travels in Ontario last month.

Conclusion

Next time I make it, which will probably be tonight, I think I'll make a few adjustments

• I will blind bake the crust so that it doesn't go soggy.
• I won't use my pure maple syrup, but will instead use my maple flavoured golden syrup; the pure stuff is expensive, and this recipe needs a lot, so I'll only use it for glazing.
• Following on from one of the recipe that suggested thickening with flour, and taking inspiration also from my treacle tart recipe, I might try adding some ground almonds to the filling to make it a little firmer and not as gooey.

 

So, keep your eyes peeled for an updated version! I will be beavering away on making a more perfect version of this. Although, if the feedback I got from the Thanksgiving guests is anything to go by, this one was pretty darn good!

THIS TIME IN 2014: Orange Chocolate Fudge
THIS TIME IN 2013: No-Churn No-Cook Strawberry Cheesecake Ice-Cream (EGG FREE, WHEAT FREE)