Orgeat

Component

Orgeat

Orgeat is a sweet almond syrup flavored with orange flower water, used in tiki cocktails like the Mai Tai, Japanese Cocktail, and Army & Navy. Home-made orgeat skips the corn syrup and food coloring found in commercial bottles by extracting flavor from real blanched almonds. A small pour of brandy preserves it for two weeks refrigerated.

30 min + 12 hr rest Moderate

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw almonds, blanched and skinned
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp orange flower water
  • 1 oz brandy (preservative)
  • Pinch fine sea salt

Method

  1. Blanch almonds in boiling water for 60 seconds, then slip off the skins.
  2. Toast the skinned almonds in a dry pan over medium heat until just fragrant, not colored.
  3. Blend toasted almonds with the water on high for 60 seconds until fully pulpy.
  4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, then through cheesecloth into a clean bowl.
  5. Warm the strained almond milk gently in a saucepan; stir in sugar until fully dissolved.
  6. Off heat, stir in orange flower water, salt, and brandy.
  7. Bottle and refrigerate at least 12 hours before use. Keeps 2 weeks refrigerated.

Pro tip

Toast the almonds only until fragrant; over-toasting kills the delicate floral note and turns the orgeat one-dimensional.

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