Hazelnuts. Plant-based milk. Yes please!
The benefit of making your own vegan milk at home is that you get to decide exactly what goes in it. You can make sure that there are no unnecessary additives in it or refined sugars (as you so often find in pre-made packaged plant milk).
Making your own saves on those tetra packs or cartons (which aren’t particularly good for the environment). You can decide which water you use (filtered or spring water for example). Bes tof all, you can make it with love, love, love.
There is a vibrancy about homemade plant milk that you just don’t find in the shop bought ones, especially if you find a blend that works well for you.
In this hazelnut milk, I am using hazelnuts, a dash of maple syrup, a dash of vanilla and a pinch of salt. It all makes for a beautiful alchemy in the blender. Surprisingly delicious.
An inexpensive blender works fine for this, no need for fancy equipment (although you will need a nut milk bag, which is cheap and easy to get on the internet).
In my other recipes for cashew milk and hemp milk, I am not using anything to strain the blended nuts/seeds. Softer nuts and seeds can work wonders without straining.
Hazelnuts and other harder nuts, however, really do benefit from being strained through a nut milk bag right at the end. You’ll get a sort of gritty experience otherwise. What we really want is a smooth, creamy, silky ahhhhhhhhh sort of experience.
This process is really rewarding. It connects you with your food in a deep way. Nourishment for the soul, mind and body all in one. I’ve done a lovely video demo for you (please keep scrolling down and you’ll find it just above the written recipe)…
Hazelnuts (also known as filberts apparently) are actually one of my favourite nuts, so I thought it would be a great place to start with my demo on how to make nut milk with a nut milk bag.
I think we all know by now that they are nutrient rich and exceedingly good for us. Being rich in monounsaturated fatty acids helps to reduce LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind) and increase HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind), so they are said to promote a healthy heart. They are full of antioxidants, which helps to prevent major illness too.
DR Axe says “Hazelnuts should be considered a brain-boosting powerhouse. They’re full of elements that can improve brain and cognitive function and help prevent degenerative diseases later in life. Because of high levels of vitamin E, manganese, thiamine, folate, and fatty acids, a diet supplemented with hazelnuts can help keep your brain sharp and working at its best, making hazelnuts excellent brain foods.”
I’ve made a super helpful video guide to make this easier for you. I think you’ll love the whole process…
Easy Hazelnut Milk with a Nut Milk Bag
A delicious plant-based milk recipe with hazelnuts using a nut milk bag. This recipe includes hazelnuts, a dash of maple syrup, a dash of vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt.
Ingredients
- 150g hazelnuts (1 cup)
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup (approximately)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- 800ml water (just over 3 cups)
Instructions
I've made a helpful recipe video to go with this please do check it out above first.
- Soak your hazelnuts overnight (or for at least three hours).
- Drain off the soak water with a colander when ready and rinse.
- Add hazelnuts, water, maple syrup, vanilla extract and sea salt to the blender and blend for about 90 seconds, to give it a good blend.
- Strain the contents of the blender jug through a nut milk bag into a large bowl.
- Squeeze the bag (see my video for this, it's easy) until you can't squeeze any more milk out.
- Pour the hazelnut milk into a jug, jar or bottle with a lid and then pop into the fridge to chill before serving.
- This keeps for a few days in the fridge. It doesn't always separate, but if it does, just give a little shake before using.
- Compost the leftover pulp and return to Mother Earth with gratitude.
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Do you make butter from this hazelnut milk? I can’t find this recipe.
I think to make hazelnut butter you would use the whole nut in a food processor rather than just the pulp. You need a very heavy duty processor for it though as far as I know.