Horchata de arroz

Step 1: Rinse 7 oz long-grain white rice briefly in a sieve and drain. Break 1 cinnamon stick into a few pieces so it releases more flavour.

Step 2: Put the rice, 2 ⅛ oz blanched almonds and cinnamon in a bowl and pour over 750 ml of 3 ¼ cups water, hot from the tap. Warm water starts softening the rice faster and draws out the cinnamon.

Step 3: Cover and leave overnight, or at least 8 hours, at room temperature (in the fridge if your kitchen is very warm). By morning the rice should snap easily between your fingernails and the water will smell of cinnamon. Under-soaked rice is the main cause of gritty horchata.

Step 4: Tip everything, soaking water and cinnamon included, into a blender. Blend on high for 2–3 minutes, until as smooth as possible. Rub a drop between your fingers: it should feel milky, not sandy. If it's gritty, blend for another minute.

Step 5: Pour through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing on the pulp with the back of a spoon.

Step 6: Line the sieve with muslin or a clean, thin tea towel and strain again, gathering up the cloth and squeezing hard to get out every drop of milky liquid. This second straining is what makes horchata silky. Discard the pulp.

Step 7: Stir in the rest of 3 ¼ cups water, 3 ½ oz caster sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste and adjust: it should be sweet and creamy, with cinnamon in the background.

Step 8: Chill for at least 1 hour. Cold horchata tastes less sweet, so check again before serving.

Step 9: It settles into layers as it stands, so always stir well before pouring. Serve over plenty of 1 ⅛ lb ice cubes with a dusting of 1 pinch ground cinnamon.

Step 10: Keeps 3 days in the fridge in a sealed bottle. It starts to taste sour once it turns, so smell it before serving.