Name: Sweetened Condensed Milk Substitute
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: approx 1½ cups
Ingredients: ¾ cup raw cashews (pre-soak and strain only if not using a Vitamix)*; ½ cup agave (or maple syrup, brown rice syrup, coconut nectar, etc.); ¼ cup coconut manna (also known as coconut butter); 2 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp water; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; ⅛ tsp salt

Description

An instant, raw, dairy-free sweetened condensed milk recipe made without refined sugar.

Ingredients

¾ cup raw cashews (pre-soak and strain only if not using a Vitamix)*
½ cup agave (or maple syrup, brown rice syrup, coconut nectar, etc.)
¼ cup coconut manna (also known as coconut butter)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
⅛ tsp salt

Instructions

Make sure all ingredients are at room temp or slightly warmed before starting. Blend everything in a blender (a Vitamix works best; otherwise just pause and scrape down the sides as needed). Adjust the sweetness to your liking (especially if using an alternative sweetener to agave). Enjoy! Store leftovers in a glass jar in the fridge and gently rewarm as needed.

Notes

*To pre-soak nuts: place in a glass bowl, cover with water, and leave to soak for 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). Then strain and discard the water. For a quick pre-soak, cover with boiled water and soak for 15 mins, then strain and discard water. (Note: this technique doesn’t preserve the nutrition of the recipe as well as the traditional soaking technique above). Additional Note: the purpose of soaking the nuts is to re-hydrate them and plump them up for blending into a smooth, cheesecake-like consistency. Proper soaking techniques also maximize nutrition and digestibility. If you’re interested in learning more about nut soaking and other dessert prep tips and tricks, I delve into these subjects in detail in my book Unconventional Treats.