DIY Coconut Milk

Recipe Rating:	1 Rating5
Categories:	Other Drinks, Quick & Easy, For Kids, Vegetarian, Healthy
Keywords:	coconut, Free, dairy, DIY, home-made, casein, carageenan
Serves:	4
Cook Time:	4 Hr

Ingredients

2 INGREDIENTS
4 c	fresh filtered flouride free spring water
2 1/2 c	organic dried unsweetened coconut flakes
EQUIPMENT
1	2 qt saucepan
1	good blender
1	fine mesh strainer
1	10x10 or larger square of cheese cloth
1	1 qt or larger jug that closes tightly enough that you can shake it.
1	funnel
FOR DRYING THE LEFTOVER COCONUT MEAT
1	baking sheet
	parchment paper
	or a dehydrator *optional ( i use my oven set on 170 f)

Pinched by Shelly_Marie, and 32 more.

Victoria Meyers

Cooked to Perfection

Malvern, AR (pop. 10,318)

BearShirt

Member Since Dec 2011

Victoria's Notes:

As a Gluten and Casein Free family we have decided that we need to save a bit of money by making coconut milk at home. At first I was a little intimidated, but it is so easy! If you use a lot of dairy free milk you know how expensive it is, give it a try.

Directions

Put 4 cups water into a 2 qt saucepan and bring to a boil.

When the water boils, turn off the heat add the coconut flakes, cover and let sit for 4-12 hours. If you let it sit 4 hours you will get a nice thin consistency, like a "Lite" version. The longer you let it sit the creamier it will be.

After sitting, if the mixture has gotten cold turn the stove on low just to warm it up- you want to be sure the coconut oil is liquid.

Pour half of the mixture into a blender and blend on "liquify" for about 2 minutes.

Line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth and pour the mixture through the strainer into a bowl. Then pick up the corners of the cheese cloth and twist and squeeze to get all the rest of the liquid and fat.

Then repeat with the 2nd half. - Sometimes when I start the 2nd half I find there is not enough liquid to blend nicely, no problem just pour a little of the milk from the first half back in.

Using a funnel pour your milk into a jug with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate. The milk will stay good for about 3-5 days. A layer of coconut fat will harden on the top, just shake it real good every time you pour.

I dump the leftover coconut scraps onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, spread it flat and place it in the oven at 170 F with the door left open a bit overnight. In the morning I have nicely desiccated coconut flakes and I just grind them up in a coffee grinder and store them for my gluten free baked goods.