Almond Orgeat
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| blanched almonds (skinless) | 100 g |
| warm water (not boiling) | 250 ml |
| white sugar · about 220 g in a typical batch | equal to the weight of the strained almond milk g |
Equipment: oven or dry frying pan, blender, nut-milk bag or several layers of fine cloth, kitchen scale, small saucepan, clean glass bottle with lid.
About this syrup
Almonds have deep roots in Iran; their wild ancestors grew across the Iranian plateau and Central Asia, and almonds fill Persian sweets. In Tabriz, they become qurabiya, chewy almond cookies sold in the city’s great covered bazaar. In Isfahan, they go into gaz, the soft nougat studded with nuts. Almond-blossom season, in early spring, is one of the first signs of Nowruz.
Almond orgeat is the classic bar syrup made from sweetened almond milk. This version lightly toasts the almonds to deepen the flavor, so one bottle can serve both the book’s almond drinks: the spirit-forward Tabriz Bazaar and the airy, gaz-inspired Naqsh-e Jahan Cloud.
How to make it
- Toast lightly: spread the almonds on a tray and toast at 160 °C (325 °F) for 5–6 minutes, until just ivory and fragrant, not brown. Cool.
- Optional: soak the almonds in the 250 ml water, covered, in the refrigerator for 2–4 hours for a creamier milk.
- Blend the almonds and water (use the soaking water) for 2 minutes, until very smooth.
- Rest 10 minutes, then strain through a nut-milk bag or fine cloth, squeezing well.
- Weigh the almond milk and add the same weight of white sugar.
- Warm gently, stirring, only until the sugar dissolves. Don’t boil.
- Cool quickly in an ice-water bath, bottle, label with the date, and refrigerate. Shake before use.
Yield and storage
- Makes about 350 ml.
- Refrigerate and use within 5–7 days (provisional). Freeze 15 ml portions for longer.
- Discard if it smells sour or fizzes.
Tips and troubleshooting
- Blanched almonds give a whiter, cleaner syrup. Skins add bitterness and a beige color.
- Weak flavor: soak first, or toast a minute longer.
- Want a marzipan note: add 1 drop of pure almond extract per 100 ml. Never use raw bitter almonds.
- Grainy: strain again through clean cloth.
- Leftover almond pulp: dry it in a low oven and use as almond flour.
Different concepts of this syrup
1. Lightly toasted orgeat
The recipe above. The house standard for both almond drinks.
2. Pale gaz-style orgeat — Isfahan
Skip the toasting for a whiter, purer, milkier syrup. Delicate, best with rose water and a little pistachio.
3. Deep-toasted orgeat — Tabriz
Toast until golden, 8–10 minutes. Richer and nuttier, for stirred brandy and sherry drinks.
4. Almond and vanilla — qurabiya-style
Add ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract per 200 ml finished syrup. The flavor of Tabriz’s almond cookies.
5. Almond and rose — gaz-style
Add culinary rose water, a few drops at a time, to a separate bottle. Isfahan’s gaz in a glass.
6. Beyond cocktails
- Almond sharbat: 30 ml syrup, cold water, ice, a pinch of cardamom.
- Almond milk tea: a spoonful in iced black tea.
Allergen note
Contains almonds (tree nuts). Label clearly and tell guests.
Development notes
- Status: draft recipe, not yet taste-tested.
- Test whether one lightly toasted batch suits both drinks, or whether Tabriz needs its own deeper-toasted batch.
- Record almond source, toasting time and actual yield.