Homemade Almond Milk & Almond Butter...Success!

Domestic, that's me.

I cannot say that these attempts were without their bumps, but I'm happy with the results, which is the most important thing.

All but one of the pictures is from the almond milk-making process.

Here we go:

 Step 1:  Soak 1 cup of RAW almonds in water overnight.  (8 hours minimum from what I've read.)  You will notice how they become nice and plump.

Step 2:  Drain the water.  (Do not use the overnight water.  Trust me.)

Step 3:  Put the almonds and a date or 2--for sweetness--into a blender

Step 4:  Add 4 cups of filtered water.  (We LOVE our homemade Berkey water filter.  We use it several times a day.  Instructions on YouTube.)

Step 5:  Blend, my pretties, blend!

Step 6: Line a strainer with cheesecloth.  (Cheesecloth will be your new bestie if you plan to do this a lot like I do.)

Step 7:  Pour your almond/water/date mixture into the cheesecloth and the resulting liquid is your almond milk.

This recipe makes about 1 liter. 

Here is the resulting almond pulp.  Don't be mad, but I didn't keep it.  I know there are all sorts of uses for it, but I'm not quite there yet, and there will be plenty of other opportunities.

ALMOND BUTTER:
You need a food processor or a high powered blender (food processor is better.)  You need a minimum of 750-800 watts of power.  Don't attempt with less or you may burn out your appliance.  The best video I've seen to make almond butter is the one below.

This afternoon I switched over to a 750 watt Breville blender.  The least expensive of high-end blenders because my other one has always leaked (it was a regift from my brother's wedding. How do I say this nicely?  It was a terrible blender and always has been.)  The Breville, on the other hand, is amazing. 

Tried making almond butter in it using just 1/2 cup almonds to start (plus 1 date,) but was not as successful as with the almond milk because of the blender's shape, which kept tossing the almonds to the sides and keeping them there.  (I didn't soak them first, because I was impatient to try it, but I will another time.)

I got the almonds as small as I could and added a splash of almond milk to the blender mixture.  That helped, but not 100%.

Discouraged, but determined, I transferred the mixture to a small bowl, heated up 1/2 tsp of coconut oil, and added it.  Also a pinch of salt.

Here are the results.

Not as creamy as the one I bought from the store, but still very good, and the coconut oil adds moisture and a wonderful taste that the store-bought one doesn't have. (Coconut oil is my other new bestie.)

Still, true almond butter is almonds only.  Again, mine is 1/2 cup almonds, 1 date, splash of almond milk in the blender.  Blend.  Transfer to bowl. Stir in 1/2 tsp coconut oil (heated to liquid,) and a pinch of salt.

I still recommend watching the video below.  But still, not bad for the first time!