How to Blanch Almonds

A blanched almond is simply a fancy term for a raw almond with its skin removed. Many recipes call for blanched almonds, including those for almond butter, marzipan and numerous Greek dishes. You can buy blanched almonds in the store, but it is actually cheaper to buy almonds with their skin on and blanch them yourself! What's more, it only takes five minutes!

Steps

1
Use raw almonds. Make sure the almonds are completely plain - they shouldn't be roasted, oiled, or salted.
2
Bring a small pot of water to the boil. Once boiled, take the saucepan off the heat and place on a hot pad.

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3
Place the almonds in the boiled water for exactly one minute. If you leave the almonds in the water any longer they will lose their crispness.
4
Drain off the hot water and rinse the almonds. Drain the almonds using a colander or strainer and rinse well under cold water until they are cool enough to handle.
5
Dab the almonds dry. Use a little paper towel to dab off any excess moisture. The skin of the almonds should look slightly wrinkled.
6
Carefully pinch off the skins. Grip each almond between your thumb and index finger and pinch. The almond should slide right out of its skin.
- You can prevent the almond from flying across the room by using your opposite hand to form a shield and catch the slippery little almond!
- Sometimes the skin won't come off so easily and you'll have to you your thumbnail to scrape off any remaining skin.
7
Leave to dry. Depending on the recipe you're using, you may need to leave the blanched almonds to dry. If this is the case, simply lay them on a baking sheet for a few days, shaking the pan to turn them occasionally.
- Avoid drying the almonds in the oven, as this will end up roasting the nuts, which is not what you want.
8
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

How long will the almonds peeled using this blanching method stay good? Can I blanch, peel and store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator and expect the almonds to be good for at least 2 months?

Community Answer

Yes, you may store blanched, peeled and dried almonds in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to two months.
Question

Can you roast the almonds after blanching them?

Pearlone

Community Answer

Yes, after they have been blanched and dried, preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.

Warnings

Use common sense when working with the boiling water; don't reach into it to pull out the almonds. Use a spoon or other utensil instead.

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