Almond Vs. Amaretto

Baking By shebaben Updated 17 Jan 2013 , 4:55pm by shebaben

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shebaben Posted 12 Jan 2013 , 8:29pm
post #1 of 7

We have a customer who asked months ago for a WASC wedding cake. Now, they suddenly want to taste an amaretto cake too...since amaretto is an almond liqueur, how would they taste very different???? Thanks!!!  PAT

6 replies
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BakingIrene Posted 12 Jan 2013 , 8:31pm
post #2 of 7

Amaretto also has some other flavours in with the almond.  There is a difference...and amaretto is brown so the customer might be able to tell.

 

If they accept the presence of real amaretto on their cake, make a mild almond cake and sprinkle with amaretto.  It tastes divine.

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-K8memphis Posted 15 Jan 2013 , 6:19pm
post #3 of 7

it would be a subtle not a dramatic difference

 

kind of the difference between a child's cake and a grown up cake for me

 

i add my liqueurs to simple syrup

 

and brush or squirt this onto baked cake

 

i think i get more bang for my buck this way

 

rather than mixing it into cake batter

 

same family of flavors of course

 

if i knew this was for a mixed crowd i'd make sure the liqueur was added to the boiling simple syrup to zap most of the alcohol out

 

i mean vanilla has a ton of alcohol in it too so i don't think a *splash is in any way a danger to anyone

 

it's just a more subtle and grown up flavoring i think

 

and i mean what's to stop you from adding the splash to an almond cake in the first place

 

*splash = margaret braun's term for simple syrup + flavor

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AnnieCahill Posted 15 Jan 2013 , 6:58pm
post #4 of 7

To expand on this, I have taken liqueur and brushed it directly on the cake without diluting it in a syrup.  Some of the more mild liqueurs benefit from just being directly brushed on (Godiva comes to mind).  If you let the cake sit for 24 hours the alcohol mellows and you are just left with the flavor.

 

I will never understand why people get so worked up about "alcohol" when vanilla is alcohol too.  Liqueurs are a wonderful extension of flavors that people should tap into, in my opinion.  I did four flavors of buches de noel over Christmas-each of them used some kind of liqueur.  I did Vanilla Bean Rum (with Meyer's Dark), Grand Marnier, Praline (with Frangelico), and Chocolate (with Meyer's and Godiva).  After they mellowed you could not taste the alcohol at all-just the pure flavor.  So essentially they are extracts.

 

You can boil it down to concentrate the flavor, and add that to the batter before it's baked.  Then you can do as k8 suggested and brush it on.  Amaretto is awesome.
 

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shebaben Posted 17 Jan 2013 , 5:16am
post #5 of 7

Thanks so much for the amaretto advice!  I stirred some into my cake batter and  added some directly to the buttercream; personally, I'd prefer to use your suggestion about boiling it down a bit before putting it i the icing againl I thought the alcohol was still a bit too strong...(but I have no objection to the alcohol in general - the more the merrier!) However, the bride and her family loved it and have chosen the amaretto cake for their groom's cake.icon_smile.gif For the wedding cake itself, they chose the WASC with a hot fudge frosting filling.

Thanks again - I can always count on CC friends for help!  PAT
 

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AnnieCahill Posted 17 Jan 2013 , 11:51am
post #6 of 7

Next time, let the alcohol mellow in the buttercream for a good 24 hours or so.  That way it won't be as boozy.  :)
 

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shebaben Posted 17 Jan 2013 , 4:55pm
post #7 of 7

Of course!!!! The booziness will evaporate....willl remember that, 'cause this next time I won't be in a hurry!!!!!  Thanks! PAT
 

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