Sips & Sweets · No onion or garlic
Warm Saffron Almond Milk
Almond milk made with soaked and blended almonds, saffron, cardamom and a touch of sugar, served warm or chilled. A soothing evening drink.
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 10 min
- Total 25 min
- Makes 3 servings
Photo: A cup of chilled Badam milk by Thamizhpparithi Maari, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Almond milk is a much-loved drink across India: milk warmed with ground almonds, saffron and cardamom until it turns a pale golden color and smells wonderful. It is served chilled in summer and warm on cool evenings, often as a small treat after dinner.
Blending soaked almonds into a paste gives the milk body and a delicate nutty flavor. Peeling the almonds after soaking is optional, but it makes the drink smoother and lighter in color. You can use dairy milk or an unsweetened plant milk.
Saffron is expensive, but a little is enough. Look for deep red threads with only a little yellow at the ends, and store them in an airtight tin away from light. Steeping the threads in warm milk before adding them helps the color and aroma spread evenly. We like to serve this in small cups rather than large mugs; it is rich, and a modest portion is part of the pleasure.
The recipe
Ingredients
Almond paste
Milk
Garnish
Method
- Cover the almonds with hot water and soak for at least 1 hour, or overnight in cold water in the fridge.
- Drain the almonds and slip off their skins by pressing each between your fingers. Blend with 1/4 cup milk to a very fine paste.
- Warm 2 tablespoons of the milk and add the saffron threads. Let them steep for 10 minutes; the milk will turn deep orange.
- Bring the remaining milk to a gentle simmer in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring so it does not scorch on the bottom.
- Stir in the almond paste and simmer gently for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until the milk thickens slightly.
- Add the saffron milk, ground cardamom, sugar and nutmeg and simmer for 2 minutes more.
- Serve warm in small cups, garnished with nuts and a few saffron threads. To serve chilled, cool completely and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Kitchen notes
- Grind cardamom seeds with a pinch of the sugar in a mortar; the sugar helps break them down.
- For a quicker version, use 1/4 cup almond flour instead of the soaked almonds.
- The drink thickens as it chills; stir in a splash of milk before serving cold.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate for up to 2 days in a covered jar. Shake or stir before serving.
To serve alongside
A couple of No-Bake Date Sesame Bites make it a small evening treat.
A gentle note: this recipe is shared for cooking enjoyment only. It is not medical or dietary advice. If you have allergies or specific dietary needs, check every ingredient label and adapt the recipe to suit you.
