Pure Almond Extract

There are just some aromas that need to be made into perfume!  Almond extract is one of them.  I’m not far off when I say that, because almond extract is used for some skin and hair products because of its ability to seal in moisture and strengthen hair and skin.

But I’m here to talk about almond extract in baking.  Its’ popularity is second only to vanilla extract.  It is made by pressing the essential oil from bitter almond seeds, then combining it with ethyl alcohol.  As you all know, pure almond extract is much stronger than vanilla extract.  Only half as much is needed compared to vanilla is most recipes.  If you are allergic to nuts and need to substitute almond extract, you can use pure vanilla extract in its place.  Remember to add more vanilla to compensate for the loss of almond flavor.  You can also substitute small amounts of alcohol in recipes with almond extract.  Make sure you use less extract than alcohol or it could become too strong for your taste buds.

I have found that almond extract goes very well with lots of other flavors like vanilla, cherry, orange, caramel and chocolate.  It also enhances recipes that contain berries.  A lot of times, I will use part vanilla and part almond extract in my recipes just to give it extra flavor.

When purchasing pure almond extract, it is recommended that you buy it in small quantities if you are not using it often.  As it ages, the alcohol will begin to evaporate and could change the flavor and strength.  Always keep the lid on tight after using to keep it from evaporating as well. 

If you can afford to you should always buy pure almond extract, rather than natural or artificial.  Pure has the most flavor and produces the best results in your baked goods.  Imitation extract uses chemicals to replicate the flavor, which in turn, weakens it.  They do make organic almond extract as well, but some companies have difficulty finding all of the ingredients in organic form.  They will add a small fraction of natural ingredients to compensate for the loss of organic.  Enough is used to still be able to call the product organic.  The only time I bought organic almond extract I was extremely disappointed.  I found it very watered down, with hardly any almond flavor at all.  All brands may not be that bad, so if you want organic you should do the taste test for yourself.

Scandinavian countries use almond extract to flavor most of their delicious baked goods.  They treat it like other countries would treat chocolate! These countries are also known for using many different pungent spices in baking as well.  They love their flavors, but so do we, right?

I hope you will try adding almond extract to some of your favorite recipes.  You will notice how it brings out the flavors of other ingredients and makes everything taste just a little bit better!

Happy Baking,

Pam