Plant Milks
Almond Milk (Commercial) in gelato
Commercial almond milk is a ready-to-drink plant beverage made from ground almonds and water, roughly 97% water with about 1% fat and 0.5% protein. In gelato it serves as the dairy-free liquid base, behaving almost like water with a whisper of fat and protein.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 3% |
| Water | 97% |
| Sugars | 0.5% |
| Fat | 1.1% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 0.5% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 0.5 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 1.5 |
Typical use: Typically 50-65% of a vegan gelato mix, replacing the dairy milk fraction; lower if used only as a partial liquid.
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Use commercial almond milk as the liquid base in vegan or dairy-free gelato. Because it is ~97% water with negligible sugar, it contributes almost no PAC or POD, so all anti-freezing power and sweetness must come from your added sugars (e.g., dextrose plus sucrose). It brings little fat and no milk-solids-non-fat, so formulas built on it typically need added fat (almond or coconut) and structural solids (maltodextrin, inulin, or nut pastes) plus stabilizer to avoid a thin, icy texture. Pair with almond paste to reinforce flavor and body.
Origin & background
Almond milk has medieval European roots: it was a kitchen staple during Lent and fasting days because, unlike dairy, it kept without refrigeration. The modern shelf-stable category grew rapidly, and almond milk overtook soy to become the best-selling plant milk in the United States around 2013, led by brands such as Blue Diamond's Almond Breeze (launched 1998) and Silk.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central — Beverages, almond milk, unsweetened, shelf stable (SR Legacy) https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
- USDA-derived data: Beverages, shelf stable, unsweetened, almond milk — https://nutritionvalue.org/Beverages,_shelf_stable,_unsweetened,_almond_milk_nutritional_value.html
- USDA-derived data: Almond milk, unsweetened (FDC 11350020) — https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Almond_milk%2C_unsweetened_11350020_nutritional_value.html
- MyFoodData (USDA) — Unsweetened Almond Milk https://tools.myfooddata.com/nutrition-facts/174832/wt1
- FoodStruct — Almond milk nutrition https://foodstruct.com/food/almond-milk