Creamy Badam Milk Delight

1Soak the almonds in warm water for about 30 minutes to soften them.

2After soaking, peel the almonds and place them in a blender.

3Add 1/4 cup of milk (1 cup) to the blender with the peeled almonds and blend until you get a smooth paste.

4In a saucepan, heat the remaining milk (1 cup) over medium heat until it starts to simmer.

5Add the almond paste to the simmering milk (1 cup) and stir well to combine.

6Add sugar (2 tablespoons), cardamom powder (¼ teaspoon), and rose water (1 tablespoon) to the mixture, stirring continuously until the sugar (2 tablespoons) dissolves completely.

7If using saffron, add the saffron strands to the milk (1 cup) and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes to infuse the flavor.

8Remove the saucepan from heat and let the badam milk (1 cup) cool down to your desired temperature.

9Serve the badam milk (1 cup) warm or chilled over ice cubes, garnished with a few sliced almonds or a sprinkle of cardamom powder (¼ teaspoon) if desired.