DATE-SWEETENED HORCHATA

Ingredients

1½ pounds (about 4 cups) pitted dried Medjool dates

1 pound basmati rice, rinsed and drained

½ cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick, plus extra for garnish (optional)

Zest of 1 lemon, removed with a vegetable peeler

6 cups unsweetened Califia Barista Blend almond milk

Directions

Put the dates in a large bowl and add water to cover. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set the dates aside at room temperature to soak overnight.

The next day, combine the rice with 4 cups of hot water in a large bowl. Let sit for at least 2 hours at room temperature.

Drain the soaked dates and put them in a stockpot. Add 3 cups of room-temperature water, the sugar, the cinnamon stick, and the lemon peel. Bring the water to a boil, stir until the sugar dissolves, and then remove the pot from the heat.

Transfer the rice and its soaking water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl to make rice milk.

Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel from the date mixture. Put the date mixture in the blender and puree until smooth. Strain the date puree through the sieve into the bowl containing the strained rice water. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, and then add the almond milk. Stir to combine and refrigerate until cold.

Serve the horchata over ice, garnished with cinnamon sticks, if using. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

The rich and sweet cinnamon-flavored rice drink horchata is like dessert in a glass. A lot of the horchata you buy in stores and restaurants is sweetened with corn syrup. Ours gets most of its sweetness from sugary dates grown in the desert. When you store this in the refrigerator, it will separate, so just stir it before serving. You need to start this a day in advance of serving.