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I love almond milk, and it's relatively easy to make, however the recipes I've used all call for removing the skins by blanching before blending with water and straining. However I find the skinning process to be tedious to the point where I no longer make almond milk.
I have seen other recipes call for soaking almonds overnight before blending / straining. Does this serve the same purpose as removing the skins via. blanching -- removing the bitterness associated with the almond skin?
I think that both will do the purpose you are looking for. The soaking is more to bring the nutrients out of the almond before preparing the dish you need them for or in this case the milk. I would try just the soaking once and if you want it more sweet then bitter add the sugar into the water you are soaking it in, this might neutralize the bitterness in the milk when it is ready to drink. Also to neutralize the bitterness try adding vanilla extract or even cinnamon if you would like that.
Soaking overnight has a very different effect than just blanching.
Blanching is only surface level and allows you to peel the skin.
Overnight soaking allows the almonds to absorb water, soften up, become more digestible as well as seep & remove harder/ negative 'enzymes' & bitterness into the water, which can easily be eliminated. And eliminating skins are simply a finger squeeze away.
Similar fundamentals abound for beans, especially heavier ones such as Kidney Beans, Garbanzos/ Chic peas. Rice & lighter lentils also benefit from soaking.
Soya is even harder to remove those enzymes.
