Almond tincture is obtained with a characteristic aroma and taste of the fruit. The drink will appeal to lovers of nut liqueurs. But this is not Amaretto, as the authors of some recipes promise. The characteristic almond note can be enhanced by toasting nuts or adding prunes with a stone.
You need regular (sweet) almonds. Bitter, which is used to obtain oils and essences, is not suitable due to the specific taste and rather high content of hydrocyanic acid.
As an alcohol base, you can take vodka, moonshine (distillate) of double distillation, diluted alcohol (40-45%) or cognac. The latter option is the most optimal, as it gives notes of aging in oak, which go well with almond flavors.
The amount of sugar can be added at your discretion, adjusting the sweetness from tincture to liquor. Prunes enhance the almond note, I highly recommend adding if vodka or moonshine is used as an alcohol base.
Almond tincture recipe
Ingredients:
- vodka (cognac, moonshine) – 0,5 l;
- sweet almonds – 150 g;
- sugar – 50-150 g (to taste);
- water – 50-100 ml (to reduce the strength, not necessary);
- prunes with a stone – 2 pieces (optional).
Preparation
1. To enhance the aroma and taste of almonds, it is advisable to lightly roast: put the nuts in one layer on a dry, thoroughly cleaned baking sheet, put in the oven, heated to 160 ° C, leave for 10 minutes. Stir every 2-3 minutes while roasting, being careful not to burn the almonds. Cool the finished nuts to room temperature.
2. Crush the almonds into small pieces and put in a jar for infusion. Add prunes if desired. Pour in the alcohol base (should completely cover the nuts, add more if necessary). Mix.
3. Close the jar tightly. Insist in a dark place at room temperature for 20 days. Shake every 2-3 days.
4. Strain the finished almond tincture through 2-3 layers of gauze or a kitchen strainer, squeeze the nut pulp to dryness (no longer needed). Filter the liquid part through cotton wool or a coffee filter.
5. Sweeten the drink with sugar to taste. To reduce the strength, you can make sugar syrup: mix water and sugar, bring to a boil, boil for 2-3 minutes, removing the foam, then cool to room temperature.
6. Pour the tincture (liquor) into bottles for storage, close tightly. Leave for at least 2-3 days in the refrigerator or cellar to stabilize the taste. Over time, a precipitate will appear, so the drink can be filtered again through a coffee filter or cotton wool.
The shelf life of homemade tincture on almonds is up to 2 years. Fortress – 23-28% vol.
Another recipe for almond tincture is shown in the video.
