Horchata
- Yield: about 2 quarts, 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 274
- Total Fat
- 10
- Saturated Fat
- 1
- Carbohydrates
- 45
- Dietary Fiber
- 2
- Sugar
- 32
- Protein
- 5
- Cholesterol
- 0
- Sodium
- 8
- Total: 8 hr 5 min
- Prep: 5 min
- Inactive: 8 hr
Ingredients
8 tablespoons rice
1 cup blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 strips lime zest, colored part only
3 cups hot water, plus 4 cups cool water, divided
Sugar, to taste, 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Mexican vanilla extract or vanilla extract, to taste, usually about 1 teaspoon
Directions
- Place the rice in a blender or spice grinder and process until thoroughly pulverized. Take your time doing this - this is a critical step and the more finely ground the rice, the better the horchata will be. Transfer to a large bowl or pitcher and add the almonds, cinnamon, and lime zest. Add about 3 cups of hot water, cover, and let stand overnight.
- The next day, transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until mixture is as smooth as it will get, again taking your time to allow to get as smooth as possible. Add 2 cups additional cool water and blend again until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture through a strainer lined with 3 layers of fine cheesecloth set over a bowl, little by little, pressing on solids and stirring to help mixture pass through the cloth. The more slowly you strain the mixture, the smoother the horchata will be. Transfer to a pitcher and add 2 cups more water, until the mixture is a pleasant, smooth consistency. Add sugar and vanilla extract, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- Serve cold over ice.