Homemade Date Cardamom Almond Milk Recipe

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients
1 cup raw almonds
1-2 cardamom pods
4-6 seeded dates
4 saffron strands. Optional

Method
1.Soak the almonds in plenty of water over night, about 8 hours.
2. Drain the soaked almonds, and put them into a blender (I used my Vitamix), along with 3 cups of water. Add the cardamom and dates to the blender.
3. Blend on medium-high speed till all the almonds are well blended into a homogenous puree, about 2 minutes.
4. Line a fine mesh strainer with two layers of cheese cloth. Place a bowl under the strainer. Pour the pureed almonds into the strainer, gather up the cheese cloth into a ball, and gently squeeze till all the almond milk comes out.
5. This first extract of almond will be thick. Add more water to it to dilute it to your preferred consistency.
6. If you wish, you can make a second extract – scoop the almond meal in the strainer and put it back in the blender. Pour 1-2 cups water and blend. Strain the second extract of almond milk through the strainer. This extract will be thinner. You could also use this thinner second extract to dilute the thicker first extract.
7. Sprinkle saffron strands, if using, on top of the almond milk.
8. Home made almond milk will keep in the fridge, in an air tight container for about 5 days.

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Two bloggers came together to make this post possible. A while ago, the lovely Trupti from The Spice Who Loved Me blog blogged about a chili infused chocolate. As a lover of all things chili, I wrote to her asking where I can find this chocolate. ‘Local grocery store’, she said. A few weeks later, Trupti so thoughtfully wrote to ask me if I had found the chili chocolate. I told her I had looked and looked, but couldnt find it

The next thing I know, I receive an “Air mail Par avion” packet (“pacquet“, this case) from Canada! With a slab of Lindt excellence chili infused chocolate and a Lindt cherry and chili bar from Trupti!

ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou, Trupti!

The chili infused chocolate is my favorite. It tastes like Lindt dark chocolate at first, but it finishes with a hint of red chili in the back of your throat – just sensational! I knew just the perfect recipe to use this chocolate in. Yasmeen’s, almond milk hot chocolate. Yasmeen’s Healthnut blog is full of healthy recipes and great nutritional information. Ever since she posted her almond milk cocoa recipe, Ive been wanting to try it.

So here’s what I did – make Yasmeen’s almond milk recipe and melt in the chili chocolate sent by Trupti.

Almond Milk Hot Chocolate with Chili
makes 2 cups

2 cups Yasmeen’s Almond milk (its easy – soak almonds overnight, grind them with water in a blender and then squeeze out the milk)
4 squares Lindt excellence chili bar substitute with chocolate chips or cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch cayenne pepper

Place the almond milk and chocolate squares in a pan on low heat. Heat the almond milk whisking constantly, till the chocolate melts. Once the chocolate is completely incorporated in the almond milk. Turn off heat, whisk in vanilla and cayenne.