Homemade hazelnut milk is so flavorful, creamy, and easy to make, it will have you wondering why you’ve been buying half and half and creamer clagged with artificial hazelnut flavoring that tastes more saccharine than nutty. All you need is a blender and some way to strain the milk—a nut milk bag or a fine mesh strainer will do the trick—and you can blend up your own perfectly nutty hazelnut milk any time your jar runs low. Sweeten it to your liking with dates, maple syrup, or not at all. My favorite use for hazelnut milk is in a latte, as it froths well and imparts the nutty sweetness I crave mid-afternoon, when drowsiness goes head to head with sweet-tooth cravings.
I keep a big bag of hazelnuts in the freezer so they stay fresh and so I can whip up this milk any time I run out. Look for sales at stores with bulk bins—and don’t forget to take your own jar or bag to fill—to take advantage of an opportunity to get milk in your fridge without creating any packaging waste. It’s a win-win in my book.
INGREDIENTS
For Vanilla Hazelnut Milk:
1 cup whole, raw hazelnuts
3 cups water
3-4 pitted medjool dates
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For one latte, per person:
2 ounces hot espresso
DIRECTIONS
In a blender, cover the hazelnuts in boiling water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain off the soaking water and add 3 cups of fresh water to the hazelnuts, along with the dates, sea salt and vanilla extract. Blend on high for one minute until very smooth. Pour the nut milk through a fine mesh strainer or a nut milk bag to remove the pulp (the hazelnut pulp is fantastic stirred into pancake or muffin batter) and store the milk in a jar, shaking well before each use. Consume within three days.
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To make the latte, heat and froth the hazelnut milk using a milk frother or milk steamer. Pour about 4 ounces steamed hazelnut milk over the espresso in a latte cup or glass, topping with a light layer of foam. Enjoy hot or iced.
Registered dietitian and food writer Laura McLively is the author of “The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook.” Follow her at @myberkeleybowl and www.lauramclively.com.
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