Creamy macadamia milk
Nut milk, vegan, dairy free
It’s possible to make a dairy free milk out of most nuts and seeds. Nut and seeds milks vary in flavour from the mouth puckeringly bitter yet high in hard to find omega 3s (walnut) to the grassy (hemp which is high in protein) and the smooth and creamy (almond which very alkalizing and cashew with high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids and magnesium).
Making nut and seed milks is one of the first activities on Feast, my raw chef training intensive. We make at least 10 different ones to understand the nut milk flavour profile of each milk and how they might be used. Very rarely would we have the opportunity to make several litres of different nut and seed milks in one go (and nor would we need to) so it’s an exciting activity which leads to much discussion about endless possibilities for recipes and menu plans. Some people snaffle their favourite ones and we make drinks and soups throughout the week to show how using different milks can really change a recipe.
Choosing your favourite nut milk is a tough one. On its own and as a drink, I love the pure taste of almond milk and the nuttiness hazelnut milk. Pistachio milk has its place over ice (and with a pinch of sea salt) yet I really love the lusciousness of macadamia milk.
Macadamia nuts are the fattiest of all the nuts. Yet they are still very good for your health. They are high in monounsaturated fats and contain magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, chromium, manganese and zinc. Yet apart of the health benefits, it is very rich and creamy and is one of the heavier milks. Think double dairy cream in nut milk form.
It is delightful in ice cream and also delicious in smoothies when you want a real creaminess that you just cannot get from almond milk or the other milks.
Life to me is all about balance. Macadamia milk is not a milk I would recommend every day, yet it is delicious as a treat.
PRO CHEF TIP: This will last for 3-5 days in the fridge.
Creamy macadamia milk
Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: Makes 2 ½ cups (625 ml)
INGREDIENTS
130g (1 cup) macadamia nuts, soaked for 2 hours
750ml (3 cups) water
METHOD
In a blender, whizz the macadamia nuts and water together until it forms a smooth emulsion. Pass the emulsion through a nut milk bag or fine chinois to remove the pulp. Store the macadamia nut milk in the fridge until required.