Blanching Almonds - Tip of the Day

by Monika Bartyzel, Posted Oct 22nd 2009 @ 9:00AM

Blanched almonds are a staple in lots of recipes, and surprisingly easy to make at home.

Photo: mynameisharsha, Flickr.

Those pristine blanched almonds that sit on grocery store shelves aren't as mysterious as they seem -- they're simply almonds that have gotten a quick hot-water bath to shed their skins.

To blanch them yourself, just cover them with boiling water (or add them to a pot of water that's come to a boil and been removed from the heat), let them sit for 1 minute, drain, rinse with cold water to cool them off and squeeze the skin of each one until the peeled almond emerges. That's it. If the skin stays stubbornly attached, the nut will probably need to be blanched again. Continue until all almonds are skinned.

Try the blanched nuts as a crunchy topping for salads or sprinkled over oatmeal.

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