Yes siree, Bob, you can make your own cashew milk! The process does require some forethought. But, under my daughter’s tutealage, I discovered it’s not a hard task or a time-consuming one. Here’s how we did it.
- Put 1 cup of raw cashew pieces in a ceramic or glass bowl. Add water until they are completely covered, with 2–3 inches of water above the cashew line.
- In the morning, drain the water and replace it with the same amount of fresh water.
Repeat this step again in the morning and once more in the evening, until the cashews have soaked for 48 hours. Do not soak them more than 48 hours. - Drain the cashews one more time and put the nuts in the blender. Add about 1 cup of water and blend. If the cashew and water mixture sticks to the side of the blender out of reach of the blades, scrape it back into the blender well. Then add water, about 1/4 cup at a time, until the blades are continually blending the mixture.
- Blend and blend and blend the mixture. Occasionally residue off the sides and lid into the well. Then continue blending. For a really long time. Longer than you think could possibly be necessary. Until, as my daughter says, the residue on the side of the blender is tiny, tiny flecks. Like in this picture.
- Then, pour the milk into a jar or pitcher. Add water as needed if the milk is too thick for the intended use. It is yummy in coffee, tea, and hot chocolate though a pinch of salt and sweetener may be required to mimic the flavor of cow’s milk. It can also be used in place of milk in white sauces. It can be used for baking, though I find it a bit heavy and prefer rice milk for those purposes.
- Keep the cashew milk in the refrigerator and use it within 3 weeks.
Are you a cashew milk maker? Do you have some secret tips to share? Feel free to leave them in the comment box. Unless you want to keep them secret, that is!
