Whenever a recipe, or even part of a recipe, can be multipurpose, it levels up a notch or two in my book. The almond syrup in this Orange and Almond Mocktail does exactly that. Not only does it level up fresh orange juice and soda water into an elegant and refreshing mocktail, it’s simple to make and is a great addition to your morning coffee (worth making for this alone), or to add a little nutty sweetness to yogurt or ice cream. And, as an added bonus, the leftover almonds can be roasted to make a praline-like snack.
That is a lot of plugging the syrup when it has a leading role rather than being the star of the recipe.
The idea for this mocktail came from experimenting with one of my favourite drink combinations – amaretto and Cointreau – and wanting to bring that same orange and almond flavour profile to a drink without the alcohol. It originally started life as a sour, but my teenage food critics promptly declared that version a fail that tasted mostly of orange. I suspect this was partly because one of them doesn’t favour anything of the non-fizzy variety when it comes to mocktails, but I took their advice and went back to it.
I won’t pretend the result is revolutionary or particularly complex. But the homemade almond syrup is worth making for the myriad of reasons above, and together with fresh orange, a little lemon and plenty of fizz, it turns sparkling orange juice into something worthy of your time – and your best drinks glasses.
Worth Making?
- Yes – if you want a grown-up mocktail that isn’t trying to imitate a cocktail. Fresh orange keeps it bright, while the homemade almond syrup gives it just enough to keep it interesting and not just another sparkling fruit juice.
- Yes – the almond syrup earns its place in the fridge if you are questioning whether it’s worth making. Use the leftovers in coffee, tea, over fruit or in another round of drinks. The leftover almonds roast up into caramelised snacking almonds too.
- Skip it – if you don’t like almond or marzipan flavours. Even though the almond is subtle, there’s no point in making almond syrup if you can’t or don’t want to taste it.
Orange & Almond Mocktail
Equipment
- 1 cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 60 ml fresh orange juice
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 15 ml fresh almond syrup
- 50 ml chilled soda water
- Orange slice or twist, to garnish
Almond Syrup
- 100 grams caster sugar
- 100 ml water
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- 50 grams unsalted toasted and roughly chopped almonds
- 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
Instructions
- Add the orange juice, lemon juice and almond syrup to a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Shake briefly until well chilled.
- Strain into an ice-filled glass and top with soda water.
- Give it one gentle stir and garnish with an orange slice or twist.
Almond Syrup
- Add the sugar, toasted almonds and water to a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes before stirring through the almond extract (if using) and salt. Allow to cool completely at room, store with the almonds and strain for each use to maximise the depth of flavour
Make it your own way
- Make it sharper – add another 5 ml of fresh lemon juice if you prefer your drinks more tart and bitter. Add a drop of alcohol free orange bitters if you really want to up the bitter profile.
- Make it less sweet – drop the almond syrup to 10 ml and let the fresh orange stand out more.
- Make it longer – add extra soda water for a lighter, more refreshing drink.
- Make it a cocktail – add 30 ml gin or vodka before shaking. Gin adds more character; vodka lets the orange and almond remain the focus.
- Change the citrus – blood orange works great when it’s in season and gives the drink a deeper colour and slightly more bittersweet edge.
