plant_milk_blends.txt

Unsweetened plant-based milk
Yield: 4 cups

Equipment:
* Blender
* Fine-mesh strainer, e.g.
  - cheesecloth (a t-shirt will also work in a pinch)
  - yogurt strainer
  - tea strainer (if you want to try making a very small batch, or strain over multiple rounds)
  - paint strainer
* storage bottle

Ingredients:
* 4 cups hot water
* 70 g raw almonds, or
* 50 g raw almonds + 20 g unsweetened dried coconut, or
* 30 g raw almonds + 30 g unsweetened dried coconut + 20 g raw cashews
* 1/8 tsp salt (possibly optional?)
* 1/8 tsp xanthan gum (optional, see end notes)

Method:
1. Boil water (see end notes)
2. Place coco/nuts in blender and add hot water
3. Let soak for at least an hour, up to 12 hours, to soften
4. Blend! Blend blend blend, for about a minute, longer is fine, you can't overblend this
5. Strain
  a. if using a bag, you can wait for most of the milk to drain out naturally, then squeeze the rest out with your hands
  b. if using a not-bag (e.g. yogurt/tea strainer), use a spoon or spatula to press as much of the milk out
  c. if using a lined colander, maybe a combo of both? you get the idea
6. Rinse blender
7a. Return milk to blender; if yield has decreased noticeably below 4 cups, add some water to restore volume
7b. Add salt and xanthan gum, if using. Re-blend. Bottle.


- Note on water temp: if planning a longer soak, starting with room-temperature water is fine.

- Note on xanthan gum: this lends body, stabilizes the mixture to prevent separation, and increases frothing/foaming capability (e.g. for making cappuccino), but is definitely not a critical ingredient.