Rachels Coconut Horchata Recipes

RACHEL'S COCONUT HORCHATA

Steps:

• Blend 2 cups skim milk, rice, and cinnamon sticks in a blender on low speed until rice and cinnamon are slightly chopped. Increase speed to high and blend until rice is very small and cinnamon sticks are crushed, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour rice mixture into a sealable container and cover tightly. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Strain rice mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl. Discard rice and cinnamon sticks. Stir remaining 6 1/2 cups milk, coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla extract into rice mixture until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until chilled.

COCONUT-RICE COOLER: HORCHATA DE COCO

Steps:

• One day in advance, combine the rice, crumbled cinnamon, and hot water in a bowl. Cool, cover, and set aside. Refrigerate if the weather is hot.
• The next day, stir the nuts and coconut milk into the soaked rice. Working in batches, add the rice mixture to a blender and process until quite smooth. Each batch should take about 5 minutes. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve and pour into a pitcher.
• In a saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar, cold water, and lime zest. Cook stirring, until the sugar is just dissolved. Let cool. Then remove the lime zest. Pour the cooled syrup into the pitcher and mix well. If the drink is too thick for your taste, add more water. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
• Stir well and pour over ice cubes in tall glasses. If desired, add a splash of rum to each glass before adding the horchata. Garnish with a mint sprig and a piece of cinnamon bark.

RICK BAYLESS'S HORCHATA

Steps:

• The night before serving, pulverize the rice in a spice grinder. Transfer to a large bowl and add the almonds and cinnamon stick. Stir in 2 1/2 cups hot tap water, cover, and let stand for at least 6 hours.
• Remove cinnamon stick and discard. Puree the mixture in a blender until no longer gritty, about 4 minutes. Add 2 cups water and blend for a few seconds more. Set a large sieve lined with 3 layers of dampened cheesecloth over a medium bowl. Pour the almond rice mixture in, a little at time, stirring gently to help the liquid pass through, and then gather up the corners of the cheesecloth and squeeze out all the liquid. Stir sugar and salt into the strained liquid. If the consistency is too thick, add water. Cover and refrigerate. Stir before pouring into glasses.