Homemade Almond Milk + Black Sesame Cookies

I realised I haven't been updating as often as I used to or would like to! But I want to say if you've been following - thank you for continuing to visit this little space here and your encouraging words. Or just coming as a silent visitor! :)

Life has been kinda pulling me in all directions lately. And so I've just been...waiting. On different things. 

And talking about waiting, while I was tapping my fingers for these black sesame cookies to bake, I picked up my lately neglected camera and took some random shots around the home. I learnt that for me it is difficult to develop an eye to view things so familiar and mundane and capture them through a different lens in a way I've not seen before. A different perspective. I think that's what continues to challenge me and requires me to really stretch my not-so-dominant right brain (aka creative side).

Thanks Julz!

A while ago, I noticed my supermarket starting to stock up on various milk alternatives - like oat milk and almond milk. There definitely has been different 'milk' trends over the years! 

I grew up detesting milk (the traditional cow's milk, that is) yet was forced to drink it as my parents told me it's full of calcium to help me grow taller (it's probably safe to conclude that milk did nothing to my height.) Then later on, there was this debate on why the cow's milk is designed for...uhhh only cows, and not us humans, and how it can actually promote cancer. 

Then the health conscious (particularly those living in the western society) started making the switch to drinking soy milk. Before I knew it, articles after articles were published to discuss how soy milk can lead to infertility and all that kinda bad stuff.

How confusing does this all get? Do these information affect you at all? As for me, not really. I still continue to drink my milk and soy (can't quite imagine a dairy-free or soy-free lifestyle!)...but in moderation like all good things I suppose.

Almond milk, on the other hand, just doesn't seem to have any bad reports (hmmm yet?!) It's full of vitamins and antioxidants, low in fat and calories (compared to normal milk). And contains no cholesterol! Perhaps the only downside that I know of is the cost! At over $5 a litre over here, I can see that not many can afford to make the switch.

And so I learnt recently you can make it at home for a fraction of the cost and it really doesn't require much effort or time too. Just soak raw almonds over night in water, and then blitz it together with water and sieve! Voilaaaa, you've just made fresh almond milk!

Homemade almond milk is soo creamy and very delicious with my morning porridge. 

It makes for the best afternoon tea treat with these buttery, crunchy black sesame cookies too! 

They say milk and cookies make a great pair. They are just meant to be and belong together.

I'd say the same applies for almond milk too :)

Anyways, I hope you have a joyous week ahead! God's mercies are new every morning...even on Monday mornings ;)

Almond Milk

• Raw almonds 
• Water 
• Honey (optional) 
• A blender cheese cloth or a sieve 

Note: Use almond and water in the ratio 1:4 (I went with 1:3 which was more creamy. You can dilute it later if you wish).

1. Soak the almonds overnight in water.

2. The next day, drain the almonds. Add the almonds and (fresh) water (in the ratio of 3:1 or 4:1 water to almonds), to a blender.

3. Blend well. Add a touch of honey to sweeten (if you wish. I didn't as I found almond naturally sweet already on their own).

4. Strain through either a sieve or cheese cloth.

I've yet to figure out what to do with the left over almond bits...any ideas?

Black Sesame Cookie

Makes 20 6cm cookies

• 65g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 40g sugar (I used raw)
• pinch salt
• 1/4 egg (~15g), room temperature
• 1 tsp milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 125g cake flour, sifted
• 20g black sesame, toasted

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter until smooth.  Gradually add in the sugar.

2. Mix the egg, milk and baking powder together in a bowl. Add mixture slowly to the cream/sugar in previous step while continuing to mix in a stand mixer (or hand held mixer).

3. Add the sifted flour and salt into the stand mixer and mix until just combined, then add in the black sesame seeds. Let the dough mix for another few seconds.

4. With a spatula, combine the black sesame seeds well into the dough. Roll out the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper with a rolling pin until the dough is around 3mm thick.

5. Transfer to a flat cookie sheet and refrigerate for around 2 hours.

6. Preheat the oven to 170C.

7. Use your favourite cookie cutters, cut out as many cookies as you can and transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Remember to pierce the cookies once or twice with a fork before you bake!

8. Bake for around 12-14 minutes. Check your oven and take out if already slightly browned.

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Making soy milk at home

In the work fridge, we have a selection of skim, low-fat and full-fat milk, and then there is soy milk for the lactose intolerant (why do we have so much choices these days?!)

I think I wouldn't find it too difficult if I was lactose intolerant as I love soy too much (or perhaps not, can you imagine soy panna cotta?!) I always find myself pouring both milk and soy into my mug for that faint taste of soy at work. It might be because I grew up drinking it as it's a very popular breakfast drink in Taiwan.

Ever since my local Coles decided not to stock my favourite Bonsoy anymore, I have been making my own at home. As I do not own a soy milk maker at home, everything has to be done manually but it really doesn't take too much time!

I prefer to to use organic soy beans (from health food stores) as you can really taste the difference.

Anyways, here are the instructions, fellow soy-lovers (and I'm not expecting many)...

Adapted from here

Step1: Ingredients

You need about 125 g whole soya beans to make 1 liter of soy milk.

Step2: Soaking and dehulling the soya beans

Clean the soya beans and soak them in water overnight (at least 10 hours). Although not necessary, you can remove the hulls be kneading the soya beans and flushing the loose hulls with water. After soaking overnight, the beans should expand at least twice their original size.

Step3: Grinding the soya beans

Grind the soaked soya beans and 1 liter water in a blender for a few minutes until its as fine as possible. (I used 1 cup of soaked soy with 4 cups of water as my ratio).

Step 4: Sieve

Sieve the mixture trough a cheese cloth or muslin cloth and recover the soy milk. The insoluble material which remains on the sieve is called okara, and can be used as an ingredient for bread making!

Note: I used a normal sieve to do this job as I do not have a cheese cloth available. The resulting milk is not as smooth/fine due to the larger holes on the sieve but I personally don't mind! Fiber is my friend... ;)

Step5: Boiling the soy milk

Heat the soy milk till boiling point and continue boiling for about 5 to 10 minutes. After cooling, the soy milk is ready and can be kept in the fridge for another 3 days.

Note: I actually steamed my soy in my huge rice cooker as it is less of a hassle than boiling.

Step 6: Final step

Pour it into a container through the sieve again (just to remove that extra insoluble material for a finer texture).

I tend to keep the left over okara - or insoluble part of soy and use that to make shallot pancake...picture/recipes to come later! Nothing should go to waste right? ;-)

Voila - you've just made your own soy milk!

So, how do you normally flavour your soy milk?

I usually cook sliced ginger with dark brown sugar and water on a stove until it boils, then pour it into my unflavoured soy.

Or, I just melt Okinawan Kurozato (a type of coarse brown sugar similar to Muscovado sugar that I buy when I'm in Japan) with hot soy...

Ready to pour hot soy over pieces of kurozato sugar in the mug!

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