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Almond Extract - 4 oz jar
Thought to have originated in Western Asia, almonds (Prunus dulcis) have a history that goes as far back in time as the bible. They were a Roman gift to newlyweds as a fertility charm and they represent luck and good fortune in the cinnamon flavored rice puddings of Sweden of the present. If you are fortunate enough to be served a dish of rice pudding with a single almond in it at Christmastime, that means luck will be on your side for the following year.Almonds are popular all over the world. They have many different names. In Arabic, you will hear "luz," in Mandarin "xingren," in French "amande," in German "mandel," in Hindi "baadaam," in Japanese "amondo," in Portuguese "amendoa," in Russian "mindal'nyy" and in Spanish the name is "almendra."
Almond Extract vs. Almond Essence
Both almond extract and almond essence are ingredients used for flavoring foods. Imitation essences are usually created with a chemical compound from the pits of fruits like peaches, while almond extract is created using a chemical compound directly from almonds. Most people will agree that almond essence tastes a little off when compared to true extract.Almond extract is second only to vanilla extract in terms of popularity. There are many different desserts that can be enhanced with almond extract, while it also maintains a few savory food applications as well. With its multidimensional uses, it is hard to ignore such a flavor powerhouse. Being the cheaper of the two most popular extracts doesn't hurt, either.
Our almond extract is pure almond extract.
Does Almond Extract Expire?
Almond extract is made with alcohol, which acts as a preservative. Almond extract is usually best for about a year before it begins to lose flavor, though it can last longer in some cases. You can usually tell when it is losing its almond flavor, as it will begin to smell much more strongly of alcohol. We recommend disposing of any leftover extract after a year.How Almond Extract is Made
Almond extract is made using three ingredients. Alcohol, water, and bitter almond oil. Sweet almonds don't contain enough of the chemical known as benzaldehyde, which gives the almond its taste, to make a flavorful extract. Bitter almonds contain much more of this chemical, though we do not typically eat this kind of almond. Benzaldehyde can also be found in the pits of fruits such as peaches or nectarines, and these drupes are often used when a manufacturer is making an almond essence instead of an almond extract.
In pure almond extract, the almonds are first blanched by placing them in boiling water for exactly one minute and then dousing them with cold water after they have been drained. This allows for the skins to peel away easily without softening the almonds. After this, the skinless bitter almonds are placed in a mixture of alcohol and water. After a period of roughly two months, the almonds are removed from the alcohol and what is left behind is a strongly almond scented and flavored extract. Almonds can be left in longer or for less time, depending on how much flavor you want to get out into the extract. If making an almond extract at home, you may choose to leave the almonds in the extract until you have used all the fluid, but it still only keeps for about a year.
Bitter almond oil can contain amygdalin, which produces cyanide. Despite this, the amygdalin in bitter almond oil is very minimal and is broken down in the extract making process due to the alcohol present- meaning our almond extract does not contain any cyanide.
Our almond extract is made using ethyl alcohol, so there is absolutely no vodka present. This means that the extract is safe for use in people who may be allergic to vodka. This alcohol is naturally gluten free, but the gluten levels of the alcohol have not been tested.
Cooking with Almond Extract
Almond extract is a key ingredient in the Chinese snack almond gelatin. This is served with fruit cocktail, which is typically the canned variety with those bright artificially red cherries. As Chinese cuisine usually focuses on savory foods, it is interesting that this sweet treat has remained a constant. It is quick, cheap, and requires very little skill in the kitchen to produce it successfully at home.Almond extract is key in baking scenarios. Those classic Italian cookies biscotti are made with almond extract. There are variations of course, but the standard is an almond flavored crunchy cookie that is almost too good to leave on the counter for longer than a few hours. The internet is awash with all different kinds of biscotti recipes.
The colorfully decorated sugar cookies one finds at the bakery tables of most grocery stores are frosted with pink or neon green icing and have a delicate almond flavor in their cakey base, thanks to almond extract. That light flavor can be easily replicated in a homemade recipe that will surely taste much better than the store-bought cookies do.
Stewed fruits like peaches are great with almond extract, and that sits well on top of oatmeal. Any fruit that has a pit tastes delicious with almond flavor. On another breakfast food leg, French toast can be made with almond extract in place of vanilla extract. Just ¼ of a teaspoon for every four slices of toast you will be making goes a long way.
Some people even like to add a few drops to their coffee. The flavor works well with most dairy creamers, giving a more sophisticated experience to the coffee drinking.
Almond extract can also show up in savory recipes, such as Middle Eastern recipes for meat stews, mild curries, or rice dishes. A good recipe for this sort of incorporation is cooking rice with saffron, almonds, raisins, and almond extract. These can all be added to taste, except possibly the saffron. A good measure for saffron is using three sprigs for every person who is going to be eating. Everything else can be used as generously or sparingly as you would like. It's a sweeter taste than you would expect, but it is quite delicious.
Substitutions and Conversions
Some good substitutions for almond extract are vanilla extract or almond liqueur.When using vanilla extract to replace almond extract, you will have to double the amount of vanilla extract. Almond extract has a much more powerful flavor. This kind of substitution is done only if the flavor of the almond extract doesn't necessarily make or break the dish, or if someone has an allergy to almonds. An almond liqueur can be used, but you will have to use about six times more than the called for amount of almond extract.
Helpful Hints
The flavor of our almond extract is intense, so it is best to use sparingly and then add more if desired.Read More
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Vanilla Extract - Is it Worth the Price?