Toasted Almond Horchata
How to make horchata ~ the super refreshing Mexican agua fresca made with rice, almonds and sweetened condensed milk!
Servings: 6
Equipment
- blender
- fine mesh seive
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw almonds, I used skin-on almonds, but you can also use blanched (skinless) almonds
- 1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked), I use jasmine rice
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk*, or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Place the 1/2 cup raw almonds on a plate and microwave on high for 2 minutes to toast them.
- Put the 1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked), the toasted almonds, 1 cinnamon stick and 4 cups water into your blender container. Give it a stir and then let sit at room temperature, covered, for at least 8 hours.** I let it soak overnight.
- Blend the soaked ingredients until smooth and creamy. In a high speed blender this will take about a minute ~ start on low and slowly increase speed to the maximum. Note: if you are making a vegan horchata you may want to blend in a few pitted dates for sweetness.
- Strain the horchata through a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or a nut milk bag. Push all the liquid through and discard any solids.
- Whisk in 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract plus 1/2 tsp almond extract. Taste and add more condensed milk if you like.
- Chill the horchata until cold (give it a stir) and serve over ice with a cinnamon stick and a dusting of cinnamon (I love freshly grated nutmeg.)
- Horchata will keep 3-5 days in the fridge.
Notes
Fyi ~ the word horchata comes from the Latin hordeata, which means "made with barley," referring to its original form as a barley-based drink in ancient Mediterranean cultures.
*For a vegan horchata omit the sweetened condensed milk and blend a handful of pitted medjool dates into the drink.
**Soaking softens the rice and almonds, making them easier to blend and helping extract their starches and flavor. If you're in a pinch, you can soak for 4 hours, but anything less than that tends to result in a thinner, less flavorful drink.
Nutrition
Calories: 265 kcal · Carbohydrates: 41 g · Protein: 7 g · Fat: 8 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g · Trans Fat: 0.002 g · Cholesterol: 9 mg · Sodium: 42 mg · Potassium: 218 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 15 g · Vitamin A: 68 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 118 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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