Homemade coconut milk and how to get homemade coconut milk that actually whips....mystery solved

If you've read any AIP recipes, you have figured out that coconut milk is a staple. However finding a can of coconut milk that is BPA and additive free is like finding a unicorn. I was able to find a can of additive free coconut milk at Trader Joe's for $2 a can but the cream at the top never whipped up the way it was supposed to. There are a couple of brands out there that many people have reported success with if you want to search for them but they are expensive at over $3 a can. To top it off there are several recipes that call for coconut cream which is the stuff that separates to the top of a can after it is refrigerated. It makes a yummy whipped cream substitute. Although I have been successful in making coconut milk for several months, I just couldn't seem to find the magical ratio of coconut to water that would yield that ethereal cream that would beat up light and fluffy. Well I'm here to tell you that the mystery is solved!

I knew that there had to be a way to make coconut milk at home for a fraction of the cost so I ....wait for it... you guessed it....I googled it. Sure enough, there are lots and lots of sites on how to make coconut milk at home. Making coconut milk is easy. It is shredded coconut and hot water. The complication is in the ratio of water to coconut. I began experimenting with this ratio about six months ago. Finding a ratio that would give me a staple for my fridge that would work with most recipes was easy. It was finding that ratio that is specific to that recipe that really needs the fat in a can of full fat can of coconut milk that took me a bit. The biggest challenge was finding the ratio to make whipped coconut cream.

Each failure taught me a little more. I discovered that if you have a really high ratio of shredded coconut to water and blend it for a long time that you get a lot of coconut oil that hardens on the top. I also discovered that if you use a 1 to 1 ratio of coconut to water that you get this really thick cream that is great in a cup of coffee but not very cost effective.

In my endeavors to find the perfect homemade coconut milk, I even purchased a mature and new coconut, scraped out the meat, ground it, and made coconut milk from the coconut water and fresh meat. It is extremely difficult, time consuming, messy, and expensive. Plus I didn't like the product as much as I did the shredded dehydrated coconut.

I buy coconut from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. It is about $4 a pound. If you don't live near a a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's (they are both far from me). You can order Bob's Red Mill in a 4 pack box for about $.32 a pound more on Amazon (shipping is free if you're a Prime Member).

My discovery:

3 to 1 ratio:

1. a 3 to 1 ratio (3 cps water, 1 cup shredded coconut) is the best for keeping in the fridge for drinking and most recipes.

2. Heat 3 cups of water to boiling in the microwave (it takes mine about 3 min), put in 1 cup of shredded coconut in the water and let it set for an hour.

3. After an hour, put it in a blender and blend it for 5 min

4. strain the coconut using a strainer and milk nut bag (you can buy one at Whole Foods for $2.49). If you don't have a milk nut bag, place a dish towel in the strainer

5. gather all of the edges of the dish towel or the top of the milk nut bag and squeeze the snot out of it until there is no more milk coming out.

6. At this point you have two options.

Option 1: Stop here and jar it

Option 2: Pour the milk and the coconut back into your blender and repeat the process. This will

guarantee that you will get all that you can from the coconut meat.

2 to 1 ratio

a 2 to 1 ratio works for those recipes where you need a little more fat like a cream sauce or gravy.

I have found that this is very close to a can of coconut milk.

You can also use the cream at the top for savory recipes that call for you to use the coconut cream at the top of the can of coconut milk.

Follow the same directions as above but only blend for 3 min. Any more and you will get a really thick layer of coconut oil

14 oz to 1 ratio

The magical ratio to get the cream that is able to be whipped.

Follow the instructions from above for the 3 to 1 ratio and do "Option 2"

To make whipped cream chill the milk overnight.

about 15 minutes before you want to make the whipped cream put your bowl (glass or metal is best) and beaters in the freezer

After 15 minutes take the bowl and beaters out of the freezer

Take the coconut milk out of the fridge

skim the cream off the top trying to not get the milk part....this is harder than is sounds

put it in the cold bowl and beat. It only takes a few seconds to turn to whipped cream.

If you want it sweet, add 1/4 tsp honey or maple syrup and whip again.

This makes about 1/2 cup of whipped cream.

Any of these recipes can be doubled. The first two even triple easily however I have never tried to triple the whipped cream recipe.

Because all coconut milk separates when it gets cold, if I need mine to mix before using it, I nuke it to melt the coconut oil on the top before I use it. For a quart jar, it usually takes about a minute. If the oil is really thick, it may take a minute and a half. Shake the jar to mix and then use it as normal.

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