Homemade Almond Butter
The perfect sweet for your gut. This nutrient rich, energizing nut butter is the one kitchen staple that can never run out. The perfect topping for your morning pancakes or açai bowl, your afternoon sweet treat or your improvised dessert combined with dates. Experiment with hazelnuts, pecan nuts and use instead of traditional dairy butter for crispy cookie recipes.
INGREDIENTS
350g raw almonds, soaked overnight
830 ml mineral or filtered water
A pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven at 170ºC for fifteen minutes. Meanwhile line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Roast the almonds for 10-20min or until light brown. Rotate the tray after 10 minutes, stirring the almonds with a wooden spoon for an even roast. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool slightly.
3. Blend the warm (not oven hot) nuts in a food processor on high speed until turned into almond meal. Reduce to medium speed and mix to a creamy consistency. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
4. Enjoy with overnight oats, açai or rice cakes.
TIP
Toasting: watch the colour, the darker the colour the more bitter the taste. Do not toast fully.
Creamy texture: it takes time for the nuts to release their natural oils so it saves time to blend the almonds shortly after roasting when the almonds are still warm. Allow to cool slightly before blending, some food processors don’t tolerate high heat.
Storage: store in an airtight glass container for up to 3 weeks.
Un-skinning almonds: place raw almonds in boiling water for 60 seconds (not more or they will soften). Drain almonds immediately and cool with cold water with ice. Dry well with a kitchen cloth. Squeeze the skin off with your fingers slowly and place on a baking tray with baking paper to dry. Wait for almonds to dry completely before using.