Blanching almonds at home will save you a trip to the grocery store and a little bit of cash, too. Good news? It’s easy! Read on to learn how to blanch almonds easily and quickly.
Learning to make your way around the kitchen? Be sure to check out my kitchen skills for cooking at home series!
What are Blanched Almonds?
When you buy raw almonds at the store, they have a golden brown skin. Blanched almonds have had their skin removed, leaving behind a white, smooth, somewhat waxy surface. Skinless almonds, if you will.
Whole almonds with the skin on are perfectly fine for most recipes — or for eating out of hand. But there are occasions when blanched almonds are a better choice.
Almond flour and almond meal, both commonly used in gluten free baking, are made with blanched almonds, allowing it to have a finer texture than it would have if the skins were left on.
The Handcrafted Pantry
Ready to DIY your pantry with more wholesome ingredients? Check out my ebook, The Handcrafted Pantry! Filled with delicious recipes for some of your favorite condiments, snacks, and toppings, it’s the guide you need to start skipping packaged products and embrace homemade.
How to Blanch Almonds at Home
If you find yourself making a recipe that calls for these specialty nuts, you can easily make your own.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add almonds. You can use any quantity you like; just be sure that the water if sufficient to completely cover the nuts.
The almonds will float near the end of the boiling time.
Set the timer for one minute. The almonds will sink in the boiling water, but by the end of 60 seconds, they will begin to float. When time elapses, drain the almonds in a colander or strainer and immediately run under cold water. This will cause their skin to loosen and become somewhat wrinkled.
The wrinkled skin slips right off.
There are two ways you can skin the almonds from this point. You can use your fingers to squeeze individual almonds, which will cause the skin to pop right off. This can also send the skinned almond flying across the room as a projectile, which is fun but probably not
Or you can do as I do and get your hands in it. Use one or both hands to squeeze handfuls of almonds at once. This presses the nuts against each other and finishes the job more quickly. Remove skins and sort out the skinned almonds as you go. It takes about 5-10 minutes to process a cup of almonds.
Pat the almonds dry and use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to one month. For longer storage, freeze for three months.
Using the Nuts
These homemade blanched almonds can be used in recipes where the skin might be too coarse. Use it in vegan dishes like creamy almond cheese, vegan ricotta cheese, almond cookies, or making your own almond flour.
Blanching Almonds in Minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add nuts. Boil for exactly one minute.1 cup raw almonds, 4 cups water
- Drain the almonds in a colander or strainer and immediately run under cold water. This will cause their skins to loosen and become somewhat wrinkled.
- Use your fingers to squeeze individual almonds, which will cause the skin to pop right off. Or your hands to squeeze handfuls of almonds at once. This presses the nuts against each other and finishes the job more quickly. Remove skins and sort out the skinned almonds as you go.
- Pat the almonds dry and use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to one month. For longer storage, freeze for three months.
Notes
- You can use any quantity you like; just be sure that the water if sufficient to completely cover the nuts.
- The almonds will sink in the boiling water, but by the end of 60 seconds, they will begin to float.
