Almond Cream

Photo: flickr user stu_spivack

Ingredients

1 cup unfiltered apple juice

tablespoon agar flakes

1 tablespoon kudzu

2 cups almond amasake or vanilla soy milk

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons alcohol-free almond extract

2 tablespoons almond butter

teaspoon sea salt

teaspoon ground cardamom

Preparation

MAKES 2 1/2 CUPS. VEGAN

Pour apple juice into a small sauce pan, add agar flakes, and let sir 10 minutes. (The pectin in the juice helps to break down the agar.) Place over medium heat and bring to a slow simmer. Cook 10 minutes to dissolve agar flakes. In small mixing bowl, dissolve kudzu in 1/4 cup amasake. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups amasake, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract, almond butter, salt and cardamom.

Whisk kudzu mixture into apple juice and cook, stirring often to keep mixture from lumping or scorching, 15 minutes.

Pour into a shallow dish or pan and bring to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. To serve, puree almond cream in a food processor.