Orgeat

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Ingredients

 * 500 grams blanched almonds
 * 800 ml water
 * 700 grams table sugar
 * 100 ml Vodka or Brandy
 * 2 Tbls Orange or Rose Flower Water (optional)

Directions
Note: To speed up the process you can gently heat the almond water to 50°C (125°F). If you do this, you can cut the soak times to about 15 minutes.
 * 1) Place the almonds in a bowl and cover with cold water and allowed them to soak for 30 minutes.
 * 2) Drain and discard this water, then crush the almonds using a rolling pin, or you could use a food processor to chop them to a fine grind. If you need to, you can add some of the water to the food processor.
 * 3) Transfer the crushed almonds to a large bowl and mix them with the water, let stand for one to two hours.
 * 4) Place a damp cloth or cheese cloth in a mesh filter, over another bowl, and strain the almond and water mixture squeeze the cloth to extract all the liquid.
 * 5) Put the chopped almonds back into the almond water, let it stand for another hour and then strain again. Repeat a third time if you wish. This is will get all the oils out of the almonds.
 * 1) Pour the strained liquid into a pan, discard the almond pulp, add the sugar and cook over gentle heat, stirring constantly.
 * 2) Remove from the heat when the sugar is completely dissolved.
 * 3) Allow to cool for 15 minutes and then add the brandy or vodka and the orange flower water.

Once cooled it is ready for use, unused orgeat should be stored in a clean glass bottle.

This recipe yields about 1½ litres

About Orgeat
Wikipedia Article About Orgeat on Wikipedia

Orgeat syrup is a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar and rose water/orange-flower water. It was, however, originally made with a barley-almond blend. It has a pronounced almond taste and is used to flavor many cocktails, perhaps the most famous of which is the Mai Tai.

The word "orgeat," is derived from the Latin hordeata "made with barley." The Spanish word horchata has the same origin, though the two drinks now have very little in common.

In Suriname there is a drink called orgeade which is made as a syrup, of sugar and almonds.

Orgeat syrup has a pronounced almond taste and is used to flavor many cocktails including the Mai Tai and Scorpion.