Place the blanched almonds in a large bowl and cover with water. Leave to sit overnight.

Drain the water, and place the almonds in a blender. Pour 2 cups of water into blender, and if using sweetener add it to the blender as well. Blend until the almonds have completely broken down to a fine almost paste. Place the cheese cloth (or other options) over a large bowl. Pour the liquid over the cloth, then pull up on all ends to squeeze out liquid onto the bowl . Once the liquid is all removed, place the ground almonds back inside the blender and add the remaining 2 cups of water, again repeating the process.

Pour the almond milk into the pot, partially cover and under low heat simmer for 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on it as it may boil over. Stir now and then. Allow to cool before storing in the refrigerator. The almond milk will keep fresh in the refrigerator for 5 days.