Orgeat

Makes About 250–350 ml (1–1½ cups)Time About 5½ hours, mostly soakingKeeps Up to 2 weeks in the fridge

• 100 g (1⅛ cups) raw sliced almonds
• 415 ml (1¾ cups) tap water, for the first soak
• 415 ml (1¾ cups) distilled water
• 350 g (1¾ cups) cane sugar
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) vodka
• ⅛ tsp orange blossom water

How to make it

1. 1This is the Teardrop Lounge recipe, halved. Cover the almonds with the tap water and leave for 30 minutes. Drain and discard the water.
2. 2Pulse the almonds in a food processor until coarsely ground.
3. 3Return them to the bowl, cover with the distilled water and soak for 4 to 5 hours, stirring every hour or so.
4. 4Strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a glass jar, pressing out as much liquid as you can. Discard the almonds.
5. 5Add the sugar, close the jar and shake hard every few minutes for about 15 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.
6. 6Stir in the vodka and orange blossom water. Refrigerate.

Punch’s orgeat (Eamon Rockey, Betony) toasts bitter almonds and steeps them in water in a low-heat bath for 4 hours, then adds sugar, salt, rosewater and orange blossom water; it makes about a liter.

Recipe: Imbibe: Homemade Orgeat (Teardrop Lounge) · Checked against: Punch: Orgeat

All homemade syrups →