Almond flour is gluten-free and a healthy alternative to conventional flour. How you can make almond flour yourself, you can find out here!
Almond flour usage
There is no gluten in almond flour, so the flour is especially popular with people suffering from celiac disease or gluten intolerance. It serves therefore as an alternative to wheat flour and is also used in a low-carb diet.
In addition, almond flour is healthier than wheat flour and scores highly with healthy fatty acids, proteins, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins and vitamin E.
The nutty tasting flour can also be mixed with other types of flour. When using it, one only has to consider that almond flour has a lot of fiber and therefore needs a little more liquid or egg in the preparation to be bound.
Almond flour: natural or de-oiled?
A distinction is made between natural almond flour and deoiled almond flour. Depending on the recipe, it is indicated which almond flour you actually need.
The deoiled almond flour consists of very finely ground almonds. The mixture is then put into an oil press. There are also two different gradations: completely deoiled and partially deoiled almond flour.
If it is de-oiled almond flour, less fat is contained in the flour, which allows more liquid to be absorbed and changes the baking characteristics. With this flour you get a drier dough.
Make almond flour yourself: Instructions
Do you want to grind your almonds with or without the skin? There are many nutrients under the almond skin - an argument to leave the skin on! On the other hand, if you want finer and more uniform flour, you must first germinate the almonds (soak them overnight) and blanch them. This is how it works:
Put the almonds in a bowl of water for one night, so they are easier to digest.
Boil the almonds in sparkling water for two minutes the following day.
Catch the almonds in a sieve and put them under cold water for a short moment.
Remove the almond skin by pressing the almonds out of the skin between your index finger and thumb (works best when they are still hot). Alternatively, you can rub the almonds between the layers of a wrapped kitchen towel until the skin comes off. With this method, smaller remnants may have to be finished off by hand.
Dry the almonds! To make almond flour, they must be completely dry: leave them to dry in a warm place on a kitchen towel for another hour.
Afterwards, the almonds are ground: Put the almonds in a food processor and grind them for 30 to 60 seconds (a little longer if necessary). Attention: If you grind them for too long, almond paste is created!
If you have an oil press at home, you can still de-oil the almond flour afterwards.
Shelf life: Stored in a cool and dry place, the almond flour keeps for four to six months. At room temperature, however, it quickly becomes rancid!