Homemade almond meal & flour in seconds

FASTER IN A BLENDER!

If you’re following a gluten free diet or looking to bake without grains, almond flour is a must-have in your pantry. Making almond flour or almond meal at home is cheaper, fresher and tastier than anything you can buy. With the Vibe Blender System, it couldn’t be easier or faster. Watch whole almonds become meal in under 10 seconds!! Once you master this DIY blender technique, you’ll be able to make bulk almond flour in minutes.  

Almond flour is made from one ingredient - almonds. Grinding whole almonds yourself means your flour is guaranteed fresh and packed with the complete nutrition of the original nut.

People on a paleo, keto, low-carb or gut-healing protocol like SCD & GAPS love to bake with almond flour because it tastes delicious and is so versatile. 

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALMOND FLOUR AND ALMOND MEAL

Many recipes use the term ‘meal and flour’ interchangeably however there is a difference. Almond meal is coarser and can include the skin. Almond flour is more finely ground (or sifted) and if store-bought it is made from blanched almonds.

SIFTING ALMOND FLOUR

Sifting the almond meal is a personal choice and really depends on what you are making. If you require super fine almond flour for light and fluffy baking, we recommend this extra step. Because of the natural nut oil, sifting takes some time. Note: The blender breads, cakes and muffins recipes we share on the ‘Luvele Life’ blog do not require sifted almond flour.

WHAT TYPE OF ALMONDS? 

There are many varieties of almonds. Whole, unsalted almonds are the freshest. The below 3 types of almonds deliver the best results: 

Raw whole almonds with the skin on: These almonds are unprocessed and are packaged after having their shells removed and are the most economical. Almond flour and meal made with almonds with the skin on produces a brownish flour. Raw almond meal can be sifted. 

Blanched Almonds: These are raw almonds with their skins removed. Blanched almonds are more expensive than raw almonds because of the labour involved. You can blanch your almonds at home (a bit time consuming – see below) or purchase store-bought blanched almonds. Almond flour made from blanched almonds is lighter in colour and best resembles traditional white flour in baking. 

Activated Almonds: (pre-soaked and dehydrated). Almonds contain compounds known as ‘anti-nutrients’, which can make digestion problematic for some people. When almonds are soaked in water for a time, the anti-nutrient compounds get broken down. The soaked nuts are then dried at a low heat to retain the beneficial enzymes. Store-bought, activated almonds, are the most expensive option, but they can be done easily at home.  Activated almond flour contains the skins and will be light brown in colour. We found that activated almonds produced a coarser meal, however this may vary from batch to batch. 

HOW TO BLANCH ALMONDS

1.   Soak whole raw unsalted almonds in boiling water for 10 minutes.
2.   Strain the almonds in a colander and rinse under cold water to cool.
3.   Blot the almonds dry with a clean tea-towel. You'll notice that the skins will be slightly shrivelled or split.
4.   One by one, with your fingers, gently squeeze each almond out of their skin. They just pop out.
5.   Once the skins are removed, place the blanched almonds on a tray and leave to completely dry out or use a food dehydrator on the lowest setting.

TIPS FOR GRINDING ALMONDS INTO FLOUR

• Purchase almonds in bulk to save money.
• Use the clear Vibe blender jug so that you can see into the jug
• Always make sure the blender jug is completely dry.
• Blend one cup of almonds at a time to ensure the nuts rotate evenly and are not weighted down onto the blades. If the jug is too full, the blender will heat up and release the natural oils in the nuts, resulting in a sticky nut flour.  
• Repeat the grinding process in 1 cup increments until you have the desired amount of flour.

STORING ALMOND FLOUR & MEAL

If you use almond flour or almond meal in your cooking and baking regularly then it is a great idea to grind several cups and store it for later use. If you are planning to use it within a week or two, place it in an airtight jar, and keep it in the pantry, preferably in a dark place. In warmer weather, keep it in the fridge.

For larger quantities or if you require almond flour infrequently, place it in an airtight jar, or sealed bag, in your freezer. It is also possible to vacuum seal portions of almond flour then freeze.

TIPS FOR BAKING WITH ALMOND FLOUR

Almond flour burns easier than wheat flour or other gluten-free flours. Paleo baking also often uses honey as a sweetener. This combination burns easily. To prevent spoiling your creation, lower the oven temperature a fracture and check on it 5-10 minutes before it is cooked. It may be necessary to use baking paper on top to prevent it burning at the edges.  

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