If you're a mixologist, who's also a gourmand, then you will know what Amaretto is. It's an Italian liqueur that is sometimes flavored with apricot kernels or almonds. Usually, the flavor that one associates with this liqueur is that of almonds. The name of this drink comes from the Italian word amarro, which means “bitter” in English, and is also an undertone that you will taste on the first sip.
The origins of Amaretto are unclear, it’s possible that it was created sometime during the Italian Renaissance or may even be as old as the Roman civilization. Historians have found that the Romans used to steep wine with bitter almonds, so people may have taken inspiration from them to create this liqueur.
The nutty and fragrant Amaretto is very versatile; it can be enjoyed on its own as a digestif at the end of a meal or added to cocktails and desserts. One classic drink is the Amaretto Sour made with Amaretto, lemon, juice, simple syrup, and egg white. Another popular cocktail that makes use of this liqueur is the Godfather, which includes equal parts of amaretto and Scotch whisky. There’s also the French Connection made with Amaretto and Cognac.
When it comes to desserts, Amaretto can be used to spike Tiramisu, a popular layered Italian dessert. The flavor can be imparted by soaking the ladyfingers or sponge cake in Amaretto instead of coffee. Besides that, you can also use it in cakes, cookies, and ice creams. Here are two recipes to help you extract the maximum flavor and add some boozy, almondy goodness to your desserts:
Tiramisu with Amaretto
Ingredients:
- 250 gm mascarpone
- 125 ml freshly brewed espresso
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 3 tsp orange juice
- 60 ml Amaretto
- 200 gm ladyfingers
- 1 tbsp grated chocolate
- 1 1/2 tbsp Cadbury Cocoa Powder
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 2 eggs
Instructions:
- Take a serving dish, and add a layer of ladyfingers to the bottom. Try to fit as many as you can in the bottom layer. Set aside enough for the second layer.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks. Whip the whites and set them aside. Then whip the yolks with caster sugar.
- Add the orange zest, followed by the mascarpone. You can whip the cheese into the egg yolks, but try not to overmix.
- Then fold in the egg whites into this.
- Divide the espresso, juice, and Amaretto equally. Pour this mixture over the bottom layer making sure that all of the ladyfingers are completely drenched.
- Then spread a layer of the mascarpone and egg mixture.
- Then create a second layer of ladyfingers and pour the remaining espresso, juice, and Amaretto over them.
- Spread a final layer of the mascarpone, and refrigerate the dish for a couple of hours for the flavors to know each other.
- Before serving, garnish with a dusting of Cadbury Cocoa Powder and grated chocolate.
No Churn Amaretto Ice Cream
Ingredients:
- 480 ml heavy cream
- 396 gm sweetened condensed milk
- 60 ml Amaretto
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 120 gm toasted and sliced almonds
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- First, whip the cream in a large bowl until you get stiff peaks.
- Then fold in the entire can of condensed milk, which is about 396 grams, into the whipped cream.
- Also fold in the Amaretto, vanilla extract, toasted almonds, and salt.
- Instead of mixing all the ingredients separately, you can add them in a food processor too.
- Transfer into an airtight container, then freeze for about 6 hours or overnight.
- Besides almonds, you can also add dark chocolate chips, or chopped Cadbury Bournville 70% Dark Chocolate shards.