What Is Nutmeg Extract? Bechamel Flavour Without Specks

The problem with ground nutmeg

Bechamel is milk, butter and flour, traditionally finished with salt, pepper and a pinch of grated nutmeg once it thickens. In a smooth white sauce, ground nutmeg leaves brown specks, and a "pinch" differs from cook to cook.

What nutmeg extract gives you

Nutmeg extract gives the same aroma in concentrated form, with no specks or grains:

A clean, white, smooth sauce.
About 40–50% less than ground nutmeg.
The same aroma from batch to batch.

How to add it to bechamel

Make the sauce as usual until it thickens.
Add the extract at the last stage, with the salt and pepper, to keep its aroma.
Start with less than you used of ground nutmeg and adjust to taste; the Al Laith team sets the exact dose for each recipe.
Write the dose on the recipe card.

For pepper heat without dark specks, white pepper extract works the same way.

Mistakes that spoil the aroma

Adding it too early: boiled with the milk from the start, part of the aroma is lost; add it at the end.
Too much: nutmeg is strong, and an overdose makes the sauce heavy and overpowering. The extract is stronger than ground, so measure it.
Open storage near the stove: heat weakens the aroma over time.
Dosing by eye in big batches: small differences show across many trays. In hotel and catering kitchens making dozens of trays a day, a weighed dose keeps every tray the same, and a speck-free sauce looks clean on the buffet.

Other uses and storage

Mashed potatoes, meat fillings for pasta trays and moussaka, cakes and desserts. Store it sealed, away from heat. Packs: 1 kg and 5 kg packs and 15 and 25 kg bags, with delivery to every governorate.