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Drink

Bitter Almond Extract

An extract of bitter almonds steeped in white whiskey.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 2 ingredients
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Bitter Almond Extract

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare

  1. Blanch the almonds and shred them using a sharp knife.

  2. Place the shredded almonds into a wide-mouthed bottle.

Steep and strain

  1. Pour in the white whiskey and cork the bottle tightly.

  2. Shake the bottle every other day for two weeks.

  3. Strain the extract through a cloth as needed.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Bitter almonds
Supply the characteristic almond flavour that the whiskey extracts over time.
White whiskey
Dissolves and carries the almond aroma compounds, acting as the solvent for the extract.

The step that matters

Shaking the bottle every other day for two weeks. Regular agitation keeps the shredded almonds in contact with the whiskey so flavour compounds dissolve evenly. Skipping shakes can leave the extract weak or uneven.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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