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Orzata
Almond syrup drink
Orzata: Liguria and Sicily's chilled almond syrup drink
Orzata was first made from barley (orzo), but in Liguria, Sardinia and Sicily it has long been made from almonds: a milky, sweet almond syrup, diluted with ice-cold water and drunk on hot summer afternoons in seaside bars and at home. Its gentle almond and orange-blossom flavour makes it a children's favourite. Contains nuts. Chef's tip: soak the blanched almonds in water for an hour before blending; they release more milk and the syrup is richer.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz blanched almondssoaked in water for 1 hour
- 2 cups waterfor blending
- 10 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp orange-flower water
- ¼ tsp almond extractopt
- 6 ¼ cups ice-cold waterto dilute
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 5 ½ oz blanched almonds and blend with 2 cups water for 2 minutes, until milky. Strain through a muslin cloth, squeezing out all the liquid.
Step 2: Heat the almond milk with 10 ½ oz caster sugar over a low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Common mistake: boiling; the syrup separates and tastes cooked.
5 minStep 3: Cool and stir in 1 tsp orange-flower water and ¼ tsp almond extract, if using. Pour into a clean bottle and keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Step 4: To serve, mix 1 part syrup with 4 parts 6 ¼ cups ice-cold water over ice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does orzata take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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