If you’re a fan of tiki cocktails, having this Orgeat Syrup Recipe handy is a must.
Upon moving to Los Angeles and the West Coast, and soaking up all the sun, surf, and everything else that makes Southern California so special, I couldn’t wait to immerse myself in the world of tiki. Born in 1930s California and inspired by the escapist lure of adventure in Polynesia, the pop-culture kitsch of tiki was an Americanized and romanticized fantasy version of the rich history it took its cues from. Spearheaded by such larger-than-life figures like Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic, who both opened world-famous bars, the tiki cocktail quickly became the scene’s biggest draw.
Often served in ornately carved, Polynesian-inspired mugs and drinkware, the tiki drink is a powerful libation, usually mixed with rum, tropical fruit juices, and the sweetening, almond-tinged delights of tonight’s recipe, orgeat syrup. If you’re ever in Los Angeles—and if you can get in—check out the drinks available on the menu at Tiki-Ti, which has been around since the 1960s. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a concoction on there that isn’t made using orgeat syrup.
While plenty of well-known and reliable brands produce and sell premade orgeat syrup, there’s something to be said about crafting a cocktail using a homemade mixer you’ve taken the time, energy, and love to whip up yourself. Whatever tiki tipple you’re in the mood for, each sip will have an extra layer of richness to it, knowing that you had taken the effort to finely tune that special element that makes these delicious and potent potions so beloved.
Somewhere, Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber are toasting you with their own celestial Mai Tais.
What is the best alcohol to use to make orgeat syrup?
Wait, a cocktail mixer with alcohol already in it? In the case of orgeat syrup, yes, you can add either vodka or brandy/cognac to your recipe to act as a preservative. When you purchase any from the store, it is often made with sugars and sodium benzoate that will help extend its shelf life, but for our homemade version, a little of the spirits we mentioned will ensure your syrup lasts more than a few days while chilling in your fridge. In fact, by putting some alcohol in your orgeat, it can last for up to a month.
Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almonds slivered or whole
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon orange flower water
- 1 ounce brandy or vodka optional as a preservative
- 1/4 teaspoon rose water optional for complexity
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast them for roughly 7 minutes. Watch them closely as you want them golden brown but not burnt.
- Let the almonds cool. Place them in a blender and pulse until they are finely ground.
- Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a gentle boil and add the ground almonds to the syrup. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, cover it with a lid, and let it sit for at least 3 hours
- Place a cheesecloth folded over a few times over a bowl and pour the almond mixture into the cloth. Squeeze hard to extract every bit of liquid and oil. The resulting liquid should look like thick, beige milk.
- Stir in orange flower water, the brandy or vodka, and the optional rose water. Pour into a clean bottle and keep refrigerated.
Nutrition
What glassware is used?
If you enjoy making homemade syrups like this, you’ll want to invest in some resealable and airtight glass bottles or Mason jars to store them in.
How do you pronounce “orgeat” properly?
Orgeat is sounded out as “or-zhaat.” Its origins are French, coming from the word orge, which in turn means “barley”, as the first versions of orgeat syrup to exist consisted of sweetened barley water.
Cocktails that feature orgeat syrup
Now that we’ve had our orgeat syrup cooling in the refrigerator for a bit, it’s time to start thinking about what drinks we’ll be mixing up with it. Specifically, what tiki drinks will we be sipping on this evening? If you’re new to that vibrant and colorful world, let Twist & Toast make a few recommendations. Below are a handful of tipples that will put your orgeat syrup to delicious use.
- Scorpion – This classic elixir has a nice rum and cognac sting on each sip.
- Fog Cutter – Rum, gin, and brandy combine with orgeat to help craft this eye-opening beverage.
- Saturn – Take a tiki-tinged trip to the outer reaches of flavor in this cosmic cocktail.
- Trinidad Sour – With bitters as the base, this tipple is quite unique as well as robust.
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