Horchata de Ajonjoli
Puerto Rican horchata is a refreshing homemade drink made with toasted white sesame seeds, warm spices, honey, vanilla, and a secret ingredient: lemon!
- 1/2 cup white sesame seeds
- 3 cups water (warm)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 10 oz condensed milk (adjust to your liking)
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt (optional)
- 2 tbsp white granulated sugar (optional)
- 2 inches lemon (rind)
- Heat small non-stick pan over medium heat and add raw white sesame seeds. Toast seeds, while stirring often, until it reaches a golden amber color. Remove seeds from pan once toasted.
- Add warm water, sesame seeds, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow it to sit, room temperature, for a minimum of four hours to soften.
- Add all of the soaked seed mixture into a blender, and blend until smooth.
- Strain the blended mixture through a fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, or nut bag into a large bowl.
- Warm all the infused milk ingredients, except for the lemon rind, in a medium pot over medium heat for five minutes. After five minutes, add the lemon rind, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes longer.
- Strain milk mixture through a fine mesh sieve into the large bowl with the strained sesame seed mixture.
- Mix horchata mixture well, taste for sweetness, adjust if desired. Pour the horchata into a pitcher and refrigerate overnight for best results.
- Serve over ice and garnish with a cinnamon stick and lemon zest or a smill amount of lemon rind.
This refreshing agua de ajonjoli (sesame seed milk) is made with just a few ingredients and is the perfect summer beverage! Also, if you're wondering, you can make this a no-milk recipe (more details below).
What does horchata taste like?
This Puerto Rican horchata recipe, made with white sesame seeds, has a smooth, delicate, yet sweet texture.
The gentle sweetness of sesame seeds pairs well with the warm notes of cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla.
For a light twist, honey and lemon elevate the depth of flavor profile, and to make it creamy, evaporated milk and condensed milk transform this agua de ajonjoli into a decadent creamy horchata de ajonjoli.
The flavors of this drink remind me of my lemon flan recipe.
What is horchata made of?
At its base, horchata is a milk beverage made by soaking a nut, seed, or grain in water, blending it, and straining it to create a beverage.
This agua de ajonjoli in Puerto Rico is made with white sesame seeds. However, throughout Latin America, each region has its own authentic horchata recipe.
