Making blanched almonds in the comfort of your own home is quick, easy, and cost-effective! Lots of delicious recipes require skinless almonds, and although you can buy them from the grocery store, you usually end up paying a premium price for such a small amount.
Whereas blanching your own can save you time and money. Blanching almonds is a simple procedure that doesn't require any special cooking equipment or skills, and you can learn how to make them with this thorough guide.
🌟 What are blanched almonds?
Strictly speaking, blanched almonds are almonds with their skins removed. Almond skins contain tannins that lower nutrient absorption and make it difficult to digest, while skinless almonds are smooth in texture, white in color, and taste far superior.
Blanched almonds are used in various recipes like these chocolate and coconut larabars and pasta dishes or almond flour and almond milk. They have a soft, buttery texture when the skins are removed and contain many health benefits with nutrients like vitamin E, which helps nourish the skin and reduce signs of aging.
📋 Why blanch almonds?
There are many reasons why you should blanch your own almonds.
One of the main reasons is that pre-blanched almonds are difficult to find in grocery stores, and if you are lucky enough to find them, they usually come with a high price tag for such a small quantity.
On the other hand, whole raw almonds are easier to find and cheaper to buy.
So it makes sense to buy them raw and blanch them at home to use in many almond recipes. Once blanched, you can store them for ages, halved, sliced, or keep them whole for longer-lasting freshness.
🔪 How to blanch almonds
It's easy to blanch almonds in minutes. You can blanch them using 2 different methods - in the microwave or boiling them in a pot of water.
Boiling raw almonds
Step 1
Boil a pan of water.
Step 2
Throw in your raw almonds for 1-minute to soften the almond skins.
Step 3
Remove the almonds from the boiling water. Rinse them under cold water to cool and stop the cooking process.
Step 4
Gently squeeze each almond to remove the skin.
Step 5
Place the blanched almond on a paper towel to dry it out. Repeat until all of the skins are removed.
Microwave blanching
- Put the raw almonds in a microwavable bowl and cover them with water.
- Cook them on high power for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
- Remove from the water and rinse under cold water.
- Remove each almond skin by squeezing them softly and dry using a paper towel.
Looking for more healthy snack inspiration? Try one of these fanstastic healthy flaxseed recipes.
💭 Pro tips for blanching almonds
Don't overcook them
You only need to boil the almonds for approximately 1 minute until they start to soften. Otherwise, if you Boil them for too long, they will become too soft, making it harder to remove their skins without squashing them.
Fully submerge them in water.
It's essential to keep all raw almonds submerged in water when blanching them if you want them to be equally soft.
Rinse under cold running water immediately
As soon as blanched and cooled, you should remove the almond skins straight away while they are soft. Leaving them for later will make it more difficult to remove the skins as they will harden.
🍽 Cutting the blanched almonds
Once the almond skins have been removed, you can cut them in half, sliver them, or slice them.
- Heat the blanched almonds in the microwave for 10 seconds to slightly warm them to make them easier for slicing.
- Place them on a cutting board and look for a line in each almond.
- Halved: Slice down the line in half.
- Slivered: Turn the halved almonds vertically and slice them into slivers.
- Sliced: Place the blanched almonds on the cutting board and slice them vertically.
📖 Roasting blanched almonds
If you want to give your newly blanched almonds a lovely golden color and toasty flavor, you can bake them whole in a pre-heated oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (160 degrees Celsius) for 12 - 15 minutes and 8 - 12 minutes for sliced or slivered.
Shake them halfway through to give them an all-around golden color and prevent the underside from burning.
🧊 Storing blanched almonds
It's easy and convenient to store blanched almonds in an airtight container.
Room temperature - Keep them stored in a dark place like a cupboard away from direct sunlight for up to a month.
Fridge - Placing the almonds in the fridge will keep the tasting fresh for up to 3 months.
Freezer - Make sure you use a tightly sealed container to freeze sliced or whole almonds to avoid freezer burn. They will last a good year in the freezer.
🙋 Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between almond flour and almond meal?
While both are grounded in the food processor, almond meal is made with raw unpeeled almonds for a coarser texture, and almond flour is made with blanched almonds for a lighter texture.
Do whole almonds stay fresher for longer than sliced?
Yes, storing whole blanched almonds stay fresher than sliced or slivered almonds.
How to make blanched almond flour
If you do a lot of cooking at home, you may want to make your own almond flour. It's easy and a great gluten-free alternative for cakes and biscuits.
Simply pour the dry blanched almonds into a food processor and pulse it until finely ground. Don't let it blend too much - or it will turn into a paste.
Sieve the grounded almonds into a jar with a lid and store them in a cupboard.
📋 Recipe
Blanched almonds - How to Blanch Almonds
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds - with skin on
- bowling water - to cover
Instructions
- Boil a pan of water
- Throw in your raw almonds for 1-minute to soften the almond skins.
- Remove the almonds from the boiling water. Rinse them under cold water to cool and stop the cooking process.
- Gently squeeze each almond to remove the skin
- Place the blanched almond on a paper towel to dry it out. Repeat until all of the skins are removed.
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