EPISODE 129:
Almond Extract
Recipe Source
How to Make Homemade Almond Extract (Crème de Noyeaux) - Forager | Chef
Ingredients
3 oz Stone fruit pits approximately ½ cup
12 oz Vodka or flavorless alchohol 80 proof
¼ cup Simple syrup or maple syrup simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water
Equipment
1 Pint mason jar, glass bottle or other nonreactive container
1 Non-reactive mason jar lid
Mallet or Hammer
Towel
Sheet Tray
Steps
Remove the fruit pits and put in a dehydrator at 150 F for 12 hours or until brittle. (Also can heat in the oven at the lowest temperature for a few hours and then left in the oven to completely dry. )
Crack the fruit pits and remove the stones. Discard the shells.
Cherry pits can be cracked or crushed whole as they're very small. I use the shell and seed if I'm making it with them.
Roughly chop or crush the fruit pits, then put in a mason jar, add the vodka and sugar. Screw on a tight, non-reactive lid. Put the jar in the fridge and allow to infuse for 4 weeks.
I've had extracts become usable after a week, but you'll want to wait a month or two for the best flavor.
Strain the extract into a bottle, add the sugar or maple to taste.
label it with the name and date and refrigerate until needed. Discard the fruit seeds.
Unlike some extracts that are stored in a cool dark place, this should always be refrigerated for the strongest almond flavor.
Gretchen’s Notes
My original pits had been stored at room temperature for a few weeks. Which seems to have allowed the flavor compounds to dissipate. When I added my plum pits right after jam processing, these had a distinct almond aromatic to them when I was crushing them and really amped up the almond aromatics in my extract once added.
Sources
How to Make Homemade Almond Extract (Crème de Noyeaux) - Forager | Chef