Almond extract is a popular flavoring ingredient used in sweet and savory dishes, made by combining almond oil with grain alcohol. Real extract has a stronger flavor than imitation versions and is used in baked goods, pancakes, and meat stews. It is also used in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines.
Almond extract is a flavoring ingredient commonly used in the cooking of sweet and savory dishes, as well as some stovetop cooking applications. It’s made by combining the natural oils of almonds with grain alcohol, such as vodka, and allowing the flavors to mix and blend until the almond flavor becomes strong and pronounced. Although imitation versions are often found in grocery stores, the flavor of imitation products is typically not as strong or true as that found in non-imitation extracts. Almond extract is typically used in the preparation of common baked goods such as amaretto cookies, as well as marzipan, pancakes and even meat stews.
Typically surpassed only by vanilla extract in popularity, almond extract is known for its intense almond flavor and requires only small amounts to flavor even a large batch of cookies. This is especially true for real extract. While imitation extracts can have strong flavors, they are usually not as pronounced in the quality of their almond flavors. While this means that the almond extract should be used with care so as not to make the flavor overwhelming in the final product, it also means that even a small bottle of the extract can often go a long way in many home kitchens.
For many people, the most common uses of almond extract are in sweet cooked dishes such as biscuits, cakes and marzipan, but it is also frequently used in savory dishes as well. Since the extract is made using bitter almond oil, the sweetness found in sweet almonds doesn’t go through as strong and makes the flavor of the extract perfect for numerous applications. French amaretti and Italian amaretto cookies are both common baked uses of almond extract, although many American cookies can also utilize the extract’s strong flavor. It can also be added to pancake or waffle batter to produce a unique and flavorful breakfast treat.
In savory dishes, almond extract is often associated with Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines. While it can be used in Indian sweet desserts, it is also often used in Middle Eastern meat stews and Indian curries. The sweetness and bitterness provided by the almond extract often plays against the heat of these dishes and provides a more complex flavor canvas upon which the other tastes can be showcased.
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