Noyaux Extract
- Total Time
- 10 minutes, plus 3 months' steeping
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 25 to 30noyaux (apricot kernels)
- 1¾cups vodka, bourbon or light rum
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 300 degrees. If kernels are wet, allow to dry, then spread them onto a baking sheet, and toast for 10 minutes. The noyaux shouldn’t take on any color. Remove from oven, and allow to cool.
- Step 2
Place noyaux and liquor in a pint jar. Cover, and place in a dark, cool, dry place for 3 months or longer. Give the jar a shake once in a while when you think of it. Strain extract to remove debris as you use it — the longer the kernels remain in the liquor, the more aromatic and flavorful the extract will become. You can also add more kernels as they accumulate, topping off with more liquor, resulting in an infinite supply of extract.
Private Notes
Comments
I have an apricot tree, harvest annually, make jam, etc., and find the best tool for cracking pits is a pair of pliers, done inside a large plastic container (minimizes "stray ricochets"). You can control the breaking pressure much easier with pliers then the "Hulk smash" hammer.
Very interesting 2-part article about cyanide in stone fruit pits https://www.artofdrink.com/science/cyanide-in-apricot-cherries-pits http://www.artofdrink.com/science/cyanide-in-cherries-part-ii
Further: European Food Safety Authority says that the safe one-off dose of apricot kernels (assuming cyanide still present) is 3 small kernels or half a large kernel. So if ALL the cyanide (or precursor) ends up in your alcoholic extract, and you use 30 small kernels for 1 pint ~ 500 ml alcohol, then the average adult would be safe with a 50 ml shot glass. Baking with a 1 tsp ~ 5 ml amount would seem to be well within the safe range.
Do we think that pits sitting on the counter for a few weeks (until I bought some alcohol) will still be good for this recipe? They have not been hulled.
Crazy scent and flavor, even after just a few days.
To save you agita: use a vice to slowly apply pressure to the pit until you hear it crack. The pit should be placed so that the sharp edges are gripped by the vice, not the rounded, flatter sides. When you turn the crank slowly, you will hear and see it crack just enough to reliably preserve the kernel inside. Pry apart the two halves with your fingers and take out the intact kernel. I tried hammers and pliers. It was all folly and smashed kernels until I tried slowly cranking down the vice.