In the world of gluten-free and grain-free baking, almond meal and almond flour are essential ingredients. Not only do they add a nutty flavor and moist texture to baked goods, but they are also packed with nutrients like protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Almond flour is made from finely ground almonds, while almond meal is made from ground almonds with the skins left on, giving it a slightly coarser texture and more pronounced almond flavor. Both almond meal and almond flour can be used in a variety of recipes, from cookies and cakes to pancakes and waffles. This article provides detailed instructions on how to make your own almond meal and almond flour at home, as well as three delicious recipes that showcase the versatility of these gluten-free flours: Almond Flour Pancakes, Almond Flour Waffles, and Almond Flour Cookies.
Here are our top 3 tried and tested recipes!
HOW TO MAKE ALMOND MEAL
Simple tutorial on how to make almond meal. Great for gluten-free and grain-free baking with just 1 blender, 1 ingredient, and 5 minutes required.
Provided by Minimalist Baker
Categories Helpful How-to
Time 5m
Number Of Ingredients 1
Steps:
- Add almonds to a high-speed blender and blend on high until a fine, powdery flour is achieved. We recommend turning the blender on the highest setting for 5-10 seconds. Then stop, shake the blender, and hit the sides to shake loose any clumps that have formed. Blend again until fine and powdery - all in all about 10-15 seconds of blending. You'll know you've gone too far if it starts turning to almond butter or clumping up on the sides.
- Check your blender for bits of nuts and continue blending, occasionally removing your blender from the base and shaking to ensure all nuts are well blended.
- Transfer to a jar or container and store up to 1 month unrefrigerated, often longer. See notes for recipe suggestions.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 quarter-cup servings, Calories 207 kcal, Carbohydrate 7.7 g, Protein 7.56 g, Fat 17.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Fiber 4.5 g, Sugar 1.6 g
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN ALMOND MEAL & ALMOND FLOUR
It is often asked by new home chefs, "what is the difference between almond flour and almond meal?" Basically, there's no point in buying expensive commercial almond flour (unless you use it every day due to preference or a wheat allergy/intolerance) if you only need just a little bit for a recipe. I'm not sure what the ratio is; however many almonds you use will yield a little less almond flour, ie, 1 dry cup of almonds = a little less than 1 cup of almond flour; so let's assume it's 1:1.
Provided by the80srule
Categories Fruit
Time 15m
Yield 2 cups, 2 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 2
Steps:
- For ALMOND FLOUR, you first must blanch the almonds by boiling about 3 cups of water then soaking the almonds in it for 1-2 minutes. Rub the skins off with a dishcloth or squishing the almonds out of the skins by hand.
- Dry the almonds off or let them air dry-- water will turn those babies into almond butter!
- You need a really strong food processor blades for grinding and chopping to do this-- but be careful with this step! If the almonds are ground too hard and too consistently, you will end up with almond butter.
- Thus, the best thing to do is to use the pulse, not consistent run, on the processor until the almonds are ground up but make sure they don't release too much oil. If it looks like that, let the mixture rest for a minute or two before continuing to grind the almonds.
- Empty the unit's contents into an airtight container. Stir with a fork or small whisk to remove any oil dispersion or lumps.
- For best storage, keep refridgerated. Why? At room temp, unlike grain flours like regular all-purpose, oat, and barley flours, almond flour quickly absorbs flavors and odors its surrounded by. Almond flour is good for fine applications like cookies, cakes, breads, and as a gluten-free and wheat-free thickening agent.
- ALMOND MEAL: Follow the same instructions listed above-- except you don't blanch the almonds! Almond meal is better for coarser applications such as breading on tofu and fish, cookie garnish, etc.
HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK AND ALMOND FLOUR
This is so much healthier and cheaper than purchasing the almond milk from the store, which is loaded with preservatives (yes, even that organic kind!). It's cheaper to make your own because you get two products (milk and flour) for just the price of a bag of almonds!
Provided by CityDoors
Categories Nuts
Time 2h5m
Yield 1 1/2 quarts milk
Number Of Ingredients 3
Steps:
- FOR THE MILK: Soak the almonds for 6-8 hours. This helps remove the brown layering, which is an "anti-nutrient".
- Drain and rinse almonds.
- In a blender, blend 1 cup almonds with 3 cups of water for 30 seconds on high (for every 1 cup of almonds, blend it with 3 cups of water if doing this in batches).
- Strain the mixture through a large cheesecloth and into a pitcher. Squeeze out as much milk from the pulp as you can. Save the pulp!
- Pour mixture back into blender if using a sweetener. Blend the milk on high for another 15 seconds with a sweetener of your choice (I use honey or raw dates). Refrigerate. Keep in mind the milk will separate. Don't be alarmed, just stir it before use.
- Note: If you don't like plain almond milk, pour 1 cup of milk in a blender with one banana for a tasty smoothie!
- FOR THE ALMOND FLOUR: Spread the saved almond pulp evenly onto an ungreased baking sheet. Dry it in the oven for 2 hours at 200 degrees F, or until dry. Be careful not to bake it! Every 30 minutes I sift it around with a fork so that it dries evenly.
- Once the pulp is dried, scoop it into blender and grind for about 30 seconds until it's a fine flour.
- Dump your almond flour into a container with a tight-fitting lid and store away at room temperature. I use this flour to make muffins and have kept it around for at least 2 months.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1644.5, Fat 141.3, SaturatedFat 10.7, Sodium 2.9, Carbohydrate 62, Fiber 34.9, Sugar 11.1, Protein 60.7
Tips:
- Choose blanched almonds for a finer texture and lighter color in your almond meal or flour.
- If you prefer a coarser texture, use whole almonds with the skins on.
- Toast the almonds before grinding them to enhance their flavor.
- Use a food processor or high-powered blender to grind the almonds.
- Process the almonds in short bursts to prevent them from turning into almond butter.
- To make almond flour, sift the ground almonds through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any larger pieces.
- Store almond meal or flour in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Conclusion:
Making your own almond meal or flour is an easy and cost-effective way to enjoy the nutritional benefits of almonds. Almond meal and flour are versatile ingredients that can be used in a variety of recipes, from baked goods to smoothies. They are also a great gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. With a little planning, you can easily make your own almond meal or flour at home and enjoy the many benefits it has to offer.
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