Completely Nuts about Almond Nuts
Almond Nuts are native to Iran and its neighboring countries. However, fresh, all-natural almonds are a worldwide favorite, regardless of nationality; although we must add, Central California does grow some pretty good almonds!
There are over thirty varieties of Almond Nuts. Varieties can range from sweet to savory. Plus, they’re a delicious addition to several breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes, plus snacks and candy as well. So as you can see, almond nuts are diverse in every sense of the word.
In addition to all the uses, almond nuts are also wonderfully nutritious! Indeed, one single serving of almond nuts contains as much as 3.5 grams of fiber, plus 6 grams of protein!
Furthermore, a one-ounce serving of almond nuts provides 37% of the daily recommended dose of Vitamin E, 32% of the daily recommended dose of Manganese, and 20% of the daily recommended dose of Magnesium!
On top of that, almond nuts are loaded with antioxidants, which can help control blood sugar and lower cholesterol levels! In other words, almond nuts are a smart and healthy snack option or ingredient.
Almond Nuts Your Way
There are so many amazing reasons to start buying almond nuts! With this in mind, read more to discover more about all these sweet and savory gifts of nature! Not only will you gain more information about almond nuts, but you’ll also appreciate them much more as well. On that note, let’s get to crackin’ some nuts, shall we?!
1. Almond Brittle
What is Almond Brittle?
Almond Brittle is an amazing combination of almond nuts, sugar, corn syrup, and water. It’s made by slowly heating the ingredients, except the almonds, until the sugar dissolves in the mixture.
Once the sugar is completely dissolved, then the almonds can be added. Making almond brittle is deliciously satisfying and totally worth the effort; however, it can easily burn if the mixture exceeds 300° F. So, you’ll definitely want to keep a close eye on that when baking almond brittle.
To Eat or to Cook with Almond Brittle? What a Dilemma!
Almond Brittle is a lusciously sweet and salty treat. It can be eaten as a snack in between meals or even as a dessert to satisfy any sweet tooth craving. But, did you know you can cook with Almond Brittle too? To our surprise, you can!
Indeed, one amazing recipe is Almond Brittle Cookies, which is a great holiday cookie to share with family and friends. The cookie base simply calls for butter, sugar, salt, eggs, milk, vanilla, and flour.
However, the secret to this heavenly cookie is the almond brittle topping. It’s sure to be a fan favorite at your next holiday party.
Almond Brittle Ice Cream is another fantastic brittle treat. The creaminess of the ice cream melts in your mouth, while the almond brittle offers a satisfying crunch throughout.
Together they make the perfect balance of textures. To make the ice cream base you only need five simple ingredients: milk, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and kosher salt. The best part is you can make this with or without an ice cream machine.
So if you’re looking for something new to try with almond brittle, then look that recipe up and let us know what you thought, we’d love to hear from you on this one!
Where Can I Find Almond Brittle?
Almond Brittle can sometimes be hard to find. With its susceptibility to burning it’s much easier to order this sweet treat online. Luckily, you’re already at GrabOurNuts.com, where we have a full supply just waiting to be shipped directly to you! Ordering online is extremely easy and much more affordable than searching grocery stores.
2. Blanched, Sliced, Slivered, and Whole Almonds. Oh My!
Why Should I Buy Blanched Almonds?
Blanched almonds are made by boiling the almond nuts to remove the outer skin. There are several reasons to do this.
First and foremost, if you’re looking to use almonds in a cooking recipe you may want to opt for blanched almonds. Often the almond skin comes off either during or after the cooking process which could impact the appearance and texture of the final product.
Slivered Blanched Almonds
Blanched almonds can be cut into slivers. This often adds an appealing texture. Blanched almonds can also be added to yogurt and ice cream. In addition, slivered blanched almonds are often a staple ingredient in green beans, chicken salad, and broccoli salad.
Sliced Blanched Almonds
Another option is to cut the blanched almonds into slices. Some recipes using sliced blanched almonds are Romesco Sauce or Polish Almond Crescent Cookies.
Romesco sauce is a beautiful Spanish sauce. Romesco sauce can be used as a base for fish, meats, and vegetable dishes. It can even be used to make stew. Romesco sauce consists of charred tomatoes and roasted red peppers. These ingredients are first purred. Second, the sauce is thickened with blanched almonds and bread.
Whole Blanched Almonds
Some options for whole blanched almonds are homemade almond flour, granola, or as a topping on your breakfast oatmeal.
Homemade almond flour made from whole blanched almonds has all the benefits without the daunting price tag.
Once you learn to make homemade almond flour you’ll never go back to expensive store-bought almond flour again!
There’s simply no comparison in both flavor and price. Almond flour has one simple ingredient: whole blanched almonds.
All you need is a food processor. After adding a cup of almonds, you should then pulse on and off for about one minute in ten-second increments.
This ensures that the whole blanched almonds are finely ground, but not creamy. A 1lb bag of whole blanched almonds goes a long way, compared to the store-bought almond flour bag, which can run anywhere from $7 to $25.
3. Hickory Smoked Almonds
Hickory, a Taste Like No Other
Hickory smoked almonds are packed with a hickory flavor that’s added during the roasting process. The earthy smoky flavor makes this almond stand out among other almonds. When almond nuts are smoked with hickory the depth of flavor is magnified. Hickory wood and almonds are a match made in heaven. Only a crazy person would disagree!
Boost your Health with a Handful of Hickory Smoked Almonds
Hickory Smoked Almonds can be both delicious and nutritious. They’re a great addition to homemade trail mix or granola. In fact, just one handful of hickory smoked almonds fulfills 1/3 of our daily vitamin E allowance!
In addition, hickory smoked almonds are high in fiber which can aid in lower cholesterol levels and healthy digestion. The high fiber content can also make you feel full longer, aiding in healthy weight loss.
Thus, eating hickory smoked almonds can satisfy your taste buds while boosting your health at the same time.
5. Marcona Almonds also known as “The Queen of Almonds”
The Queen of Almonds
Marcona Almonds are known as the queen of almonds because they’re royalty when compared to the rest.
Marcona almonds are shorter, softer, sweeter, and rounder than all other almonds. Their roundness is reminiscent of macadamia nuts, thus making them the queen.
These gourmet nuts can be eaten as a snack or used in a variety of recipes. Furthermore, the Marcona Almond adds a luxurious flavor to any almond recipe.
Marcona Almonds in Spain
In Spain, Marcona Almonds are typically eaten as a savory snack. They’re the perfect accompaniment to a bold glass of wine.
In addition, Marcona Almonds can be added to charcuterie boards. The sweetness and creaminess of the Marcona Almond blend perfectly with a variety of meats and cheeses.
Boost of Flavor
Marcona Almonds add a boost of flavor to well-known dishes. One way to boost flavor is to substitute Marcona nuts to create creamy nut butter. Another way to boost flavor is by grinding Marconas to encrust tasty fish. Also, Marcona Almonds can be blended into pesto in place of pine nuts!
6. Tamari Almonds: Salty without the Added Salt
What are Tamari Almonds?
If you’re asking yourself if Tamari Almonds are a real thing, you’re not alone. So, here’s the truth, Tamari Almonds are simply almonds roasted in Tamari sauce.
Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce, though darker and less salty than the soy typically used in Asian cuisine.
How do Tamari Almonds Taste?
Tamari Almonds are quite delicious. Though they often fly under the radar, Tamari Almonds give you a wonderful salty flavor without the actual salt.
This is a great alternative for those looking to snack on nuts without sodium intake limits.
Can I cook with Tamari Almonds?
Tamari Almonds have a savory earthy taste, although, these savory nuts can be used in sweet dessert applications. The addition of salty Tamari Almonds will have your taste buds firing on all cylinders.
One sweet recipe that Tamari Almonds can be added to is a sweet and salty chocolate cake. Though it sounds simple, this recipe requires a certain degree of technique and finesse.
This cake has three distinct parts: the moist chocolate cake itself, the salty tamari almond crisp, and the decadent chocolate ganache.
The chocolate cake consists of flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, vegetable oil, milk, and vanilla extract. You may opt to add a dash of soy sauce to boost the Tamari flavor.
As for the tamari almond crisp layer, it includes unsalted butter, brown sugar, flour, soy sauce, and tamari almonds.
Finally, the ganache layer is a mixture of butter, chocolate, and heavy cream draped over the top. For this, you may opt for dark chocolate as the bitterness would add another depth of flavor to this cake. Together these three layers create the perfect marriage of sweet and savory like no other!
Where can I find Tamari Almonds?
Tamari Almonds can be found in two ways. First, they can be made at home. But keep in mind, similar to homemade almond brittle, Tamari almonds burn easily. Our recommendation would be to purchase them online. That way, there’s no chance of accidental burning.
7. Cinnamon Roasted Almonds
Cinnamon Roasted Almonds…All Hype or Worth a Try?
Cinnamon Roasted Almonds are surprisingly satisfying! With the perfect amount of cinnamon sweetness, even kids love these healthy snacks! Grown-ups, too!
The almond nuts are covered with a single layer of cinnamon and sugar reminiscent of roasted nuts at local carnivals. With just one bite of these amazing almonds, you can be transported back in time to the local fairground. Cinnamon roasted almonds are definitely worth a try.
If cinnamon roasted almonds are calling out your name; cinnamon roasted almond streusel cake should be high on your list of recipes. Kransekake, “Wreath” or “Ring Cake,” is a Scandinavian staple at major celebrations including weddings and birthdays.
A traditional Kransekake has at least eighteen layers, although, the grander the celebration the more rings are typically added on. There are only a few simple ingredients in this cake: almonds, confectioner’s sugar, egg whites, almond extract, and potato starch flour.
To deepen the flavor of this classic cake, use cinnamon roasted almonds instead of regular almonds, we’re sure you’ll be extremely satisfied with the end results. The crunch outside of the almond streusel cake combined with the chewy moist inside offers the perfect bite.
Coffee Bundt Cake
Another twist on a classic recipe is the use of cinnamon roasted almond nuts in the coffee bundt cake. To make a coffee bundt cake add all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and yogurt.
If you want to amplify the almond flour, then substitute the all-purpose flour with more almond flour made from whole-blanched almonds. It’s healthier and will amplify the delicious nutty flavor within the cake.
For the coffee cake topping just mix together chopped cinnamon roasted almonds with light brown sugar, flour, and butter. The cinnamon roasted almonds turn the traditional coffee cake into a mouth-watering masterpiece!
This is perfect as a breakfast accompaniment to coffee, a midday snack with tea, or an after-dinner dessert. No matter what time of day you choose, cinnamon roasted almond coffee cake is the perfect treat.
So Many Almond Nuts…Where Can I Find Them?
As you now know, the sky’s the limit when it comes to almond nuts. You could stick with a traditional blanched almond which is delicious in a variety of both sweet and savory applications.
On the other hand, you could also branch out to try a lesser-known almond nut, such as the Tamari Almond Nut or the royally delicious Marcona Almond Nut.
No matter which almond nut you choose to try in your next tasty recipe, be sure to get them at GrabOurNuts.com; America’s #1 online nut shop that offers all your almond nut needs, and more!
