Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the blanched almonds on a baking sheet and toast them for about 10 minutes until golden and fragrant.

Allow the toasted almonds to cool slightly.

Transfer almonds to a food processor or blender and pulse until finely ground.

In a saucepan, combine the ground almonds and 2 cups of water. Stir well to ensure almonds are fully submerged.

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing to extract maximum liquid.

Return the strained almond milk to the saucepan and add 1 cup of sugar. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat and stir in almond extract and orange blossom water, if using. Let cool slightly.

Transfer the syrup into clean glass containers. Refrigerate and consume within a few weeks.