When you make almond milk at home, you end up with A LOT of almondpulpas a by-product! Before you reach for the bin, hang on a second – did you know could put itto a very good use and make your own almond flour?Giventhat almonds are ratherexpensive it’s a great move as you’ll have two homemade products for the price of one.
So to make your own almond meal, you need an oven tray, an oven and at least a blender or a coffee/nut grinder would be even better. In my experience, a coffee/nut grinder will give you best results–you’ll end up with a fine powder, which is very close in texture toshop-bought almond meal.
A blender will give you a slightly coarser mix, but still fine enough to be able to use the flour in cookies(such as these), pancakesandcakes.
To save myself some work, I dry out wet almond pulp in the oven on the same day as I make my milk (or else it will go bad) and then store it in an airtight container.I do a batch grinding session once I’ve made my milk several times.
METHOD
- Preheat your oven to100° C / 210° F.
- Spread wet almond pulp on a lined baking tray and put into the oven for about 1-1.5 hours (until the mixture is completely dry to the touch). Every half an hour, stir the mixture with a spoon to make sure that it dries out evenly. Don’t worry if there are any odd lumps, they will go during grinding phase.
- Put dried out pulp into a nut/coffee grinder or a clean blender and process until it has been groundfinely.
- Store in a cupboard, in an airtight container.
FAQs
If your recipe calls for all-purpose flour and you want to use a gluten-free substitute, try using a lower amount of almond flour—a ¾ cup for every 1 cup of all-purpose flour—and add a binding agent to act as a glue. (Common gluten-free binders are xanthan gum, guar gum, and psyllium husk).
Why is almond flour so hard to bake with? ›
Since almond flour is gluten-free, it's not a good substitute for traditional flour in yeast breads. A gluten free yeast “dough” needs to be more of a thick, sticky batter and is far too soft to knead and very difficult to work with.
Do you need to use xanthan gum with almond flour? ›
The Basic Baking Guidelines
Our chef prefers to add a little xanthan gum or cornstarch to the almond flour to help with the texture, though it is not entirely necessary to do so. Almond flour is pretty forgiving in that regard. Some use arrowroot powder to achieve a similar effect in their bread recipes.
Can you bake with almond flour just like regular flour? ›
Almond flour is a little more moist than wheat flour, and doesn't have quite the same binding qualities. You'll do best to substitute 1:1 to begin with, as many recipes respond well to this direct replacement. But be prepared to add more almond flour as you go to compensate for the wetter batter.
Why didn't my almond flour bread rise? ›
Using Almond flour will not make your read rise at all. Dough rises because gasses produced by the yeast are captured in the dough by the gluten structure. Almond doesn't have gluten so no structure and not rising. Gluten free bread usually replaces gluten by other additives such as guar gum or xanthan etc.
Do you need more eggs when using almond flour? ›
Almond flour can be substituted for regular flour at a 1:1 ratio. It is important to note that almond flour may require more egg to bind the flour. Check out our almond flour recipe book here for more information on a specific recipe!
Is it better to bake with ground almonds or almond flour? ›
As mentioned above, almond flour is made from blanched, peeled almonds that have had their skins removed. It's fairly fine in texture and light in colour, lacking the darker specks from the skins. Ground almonds, on the other hand, are the same thing as almond meal – they're just ground, skin-on, unpeeled almonds.
Does almond flour rise more than regular flour? ›
When you replace some of the all-purpose flour with almond flour in non-yeast recipes, you'll probably notice a difference in how your baked goods either rise, or spread. Cookies and scones may spread more; cake, biscuits, and muffins may rise less.
When should you not use xanthan gum? ›
Nausea, vomiting, appendicitis, hard stools that are difficult to expel (fecal impaction), narrowing or blockage of the intestine, or undiagnosed stomach pain: Do not use xanthan gum if you have any of these conditions. It is a bulk-forming laxative that could be harmful in these situations.
Which almond flour is best for baking? ›
Blanched almond flour is typically preferred for its fine, smooth, and fluffy texture. Blanched almond flour is lighter and is much better for creating pastries. Because the almonds are white in color (having had the skin removed), the ground up flour will not make a difference to the appearance of your dish.
Xanthan gum is safe when up to 15 grams per day are taken. It can cause some side effects such as intestinal gas (flatulence) and bloating. People who are exposed to xanthan gum powder might experience flu-like symptoms, nose and throat irritation, and lung problems.
How does almond flour affect baked goods? ›
Almond flour adds flavor in the form of very mild sweetness (not enough to negatively affect savory recipes), and a certain richness. Baking with almond flour extends the shelf life of baked goods by adding fat, which helps retain moisture.
Why is my almond flour cake dry? ›
The more you mix, the more the fat in the almond flour is released and absorbed, resulting in a dry, crumbly texture in your baked goods.
How do you adjust almond flour? ›
It requires different measurements and adjustments to achieve the right texture in baked goods. A good rule of thumb is to use 1/2 to 3/4 cup of almond flour for every 1 cup of wheat flour in a recipe.
Why did my almond flour cake not rise? ›
Leavening and rising to the occasion
Since almond flour can't trap air like gluten-containing flours, you'll often need a little extra help from leavening agents to ensure your baked goods are light and fluffy. Baking powder, baking soda, and whipped egg whites can all provide lift, but they must be used thoughtfully.
