Blanched Almonds
Blanched almonds are basically no different to any other kind of food that has been blanched. These almonds will first be heated in some boiling water for a brief period of time and then will be placed in cold water in order to stop them from being cooked. In the case of vegetables, people blanch them in order to first kill the enzymes in them and then the vegetables can safely be frozen. In the case of tomatoes and peaches, these are blanched in order to facilitate simple removal of their skins. Blanching almonds is done in order to loosen their skins so that the skins can then be removed without much effort.
How to blanch the almonds
For those who wish to enjoy blanched almonds by blanching them it requires taking a pan of some water into which the almonds will have to be added. Boil the water for about a minute. Once sixty seconds have elapsed, drain the almonds out and place them in colander and then pour some cold water on the almonds till they cool down sufficiently.
Remove skins
Next, remove their skins which are easily done if you pinch the nut between your forefingers and thumb. Be careful that you do not allow slipperiness of the nuts to allow you let go of the almonds as that will mean that you will be left with just the skin and nothing else. After the almonds have been skinned, simply take the nuts and toast them in an oven that is set to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and leave them there until the almonds turn dry.
Packaged options
This is a very simple way of obtaining your own blanched almonds. If you would much rather shop for blanched almonds and not blanches them on your own then it is necessary to look for packaged options. Fortunately, it is easy to buy whole blanched almonds in one pound, five pound as well as twenty-five pounds bags. These almonds are the produce of California and do not have any skins. They are also very useful for many different baking purposes.
Healthy
Blanched almonds are also very healthy and so one should learn to consume them in the right quantities. Typically, an ounce and a half of these almonds will provide the body with sufficient Vitamin E as well as magnesium. In addition, they provide sufficient fiber, protein, calcium, potassium, iron and phosphorous. Because blanched almonds contain plenty of monounsaturated (healthy) fat, they have now become one of the most consumed nuts in all of America.
An ounce of blanched almonds contains fourteen grams of fat of which about sixty-four percent is monounsaturated fat. This is beneficial fat that is going to help in lowering bad cholesterol levels. Instead of buying expensive drugs to help you lower your bad cholesterol, you need to simply consume an ounce and a half of blanched almonds which will help you achieve the same results for a fraction of the cost.
Consuming blanched almonds is also a good way to satisfy your taste buds as these are known to be very fresh as well as delicious. A one pound bag would cost about seven dollars while it only costs approximately thirty-four dollars for a five pound bag.