How to Make Your Own Nut FlourIn the past few years, nut flours have become very popular as a substitute for gluten based wheat flour. I remember a time when you'd never see nut flours in the grocery store like you see now.
I used to have to order my personal stash by way of the purveyor from the workplace. Now you can find almond flour, coconut flour, chickpea flour sitting right next to the the wheat flours. But you have to be careful. 
Almonds & Almond flour.
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“Be inspired to create masterpieces from
your own kitchen”. |
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Baking is like a science and most times your formula/recipe needs to be adjusted to accommodate this change in the formula. However, keep in mind that all purpose flour can't always be completely replaced. I think there needs to be some clarity about what actually is gluten. |
Hazelnuts & hazelnut flour.
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Gluten is formed by the proteins glutenine and gliaden. These two proteins, found in the wheat flour from our all purpose flour, are like powdered rubber. When activated by heat, water and friction, the proteins stretch and wrap around each other to produce gluten.
Gluten development is desired, in order to create that chewy texture found in artisan bread, bagels and pizza products. Some nut flours make a great substitution for wheat flour, offering a moist texture and nuttier flavor to your baked item.
Gluten development is desired, in order to create that chewy texture found in artisan bread, bagels and pizza products. Some nut flours make a great substitution for wheat flour, offering a moist texture and nuttier flavor to your baked item.
Almond flour
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Due to the time and labor intensive efforts necessary to make nut flours in the workplace, they were always purchased pre-milled through a purveyor.
It can be expensive to buy nut flours for home baking. Heck, buying the nuts simply as they are is expensive, nowadays. |
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Almond flour can run $10 - $15 a pound. The almonds themselves are around $5 to $8 a pound. Pistachios, as of 2017, are $8 for only 10 ounces. Then, you still need to blanch them, before roasting & grinding. Of course, this all depends on what you want, and how much work you want to do. I still think it's cool that you can make your own quality nut flour. |
Hazelnut flour
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Preparation
Below are methods for making almond flour, pistachio flour, and hazlenut flour. Why search for each recipe somewhere else, when you can find them all here?
The methods are not really different. You can either choose to peel the skins off, or not. The processing is the same for them all. Check them out, and see what works for you. |
You can use this blanching method with pistachios, too.
Blanching to Remove the Skin " Blanching is optional. It is not always necessary to blanch almonds. Taking the skins off just gives you a lighter colored flour." |
Blanching the Almonds
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Tip for Blanching
The Need for Hot Water The hot water helps to soften the skin, making it easier to peel off. This technique works for pistachios, too. Just add salt to the boiling water to the pistachios,first. This technique is not used for hazelnuts, which have to be roasted first. Speaking of roasting, you will need to roast the almonds and the pistachios after blanching, because they are wet ,of course. Roasting also enhances their flavor. |
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Again, blanching to peel off the skin of the almond is optional. When processing unblanched almonds, your nut flour will be enhanced with specks of brown, that's all. This difference may only make a difference if you're making macarons. But for an almond cake, or other cookie, you can skip the blanching altogether. |
Bowl on the left, skin on. Bowl on right, skin off/blanched.
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Pistachio FlourFor pistachios, add a little salt to the water prior to boiling.
This not only makes them easy to peel, but enhances their green color. |
See how vibrant the color green is? That's from the salted water.
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Powdered Sugar
Powdered sugar was used to absorb the oils found natually in the nuts. The powdered sugar is generally already found in your recipe. This would be a good opportunity to create your tant pour tant.
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Hazelnut FlourRoast First
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For hazelnuts, toast in oven for easier removal.
Roast in oven for no more than 10 minutes, at 350°F. Cover in a towel, & rub hazelnuts in the towel. And the skin just rubs off. |
Roast in oven for no more than 10 minutes, at 350°F.
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Cover in a towel, & rub hazelnuts.
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And the skin just rubs off.
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All you need now, is a food processor !
Start with at least a pound of nuts. Follow what's needed from the recipe. Most recipes with nut flour in them, will also include powdered sugar.
You can add the powedered sugar to the the food processor with the nuts. The cornstarch in the sugar with help to absorb some o of the oils in the nut. Always work in small batches to manage control of of your processing. You do not want to make a nut butter.
You can add the powedered sugar to the the food processor with the nuts. The cornstarch in the sugar with help to absorb some o of the oils in the nut. Always work in small batches to manage control of of your processing. You do not want to make a nut butter.
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Wait !
Why the food processor and not the blender???
There are many different opinions out there. Which is best to use? Personally, I prefer the food processor. Let me show you why. Because a picture may explain it better. |
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After processing...
You can clearly see that the almonds in the food processor are ground a little finer that the ones in the blender. The almonds in the blender were beginning to form into a paste.
Almonds in the food processor.
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Almonds in the blender.
With the pulsing action on the food processor, you have greater control over the nut flour you're creating.
The bowl of the processor is wider, allowing greater movement during processing, creating less friction. |
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As you pulse for a few seconds, check the texture. The action of processing, or blending, releases the natural oils found in nuts. So be careful not to over mix , or you'll have yourself a nut paste, instead of a nut flour. But there is a Tip to help prevent this. |
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That Tip !
Add a portion of the sugar, or flour, from the recipe you are using, with the nut, prior to processing.
This will help to absorb the oils from the nut. It's important to do this in stages, so as not produce a nut butter, instead of a nut flour. |
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So, take the time to check on your progress between one to three pulses. All that is required is your watchful eye, and your instincts to know what the texture of a nut flour should look like.
Nut Flour Recipe and ProcedureProcedure
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Tip
"Use this method for almonds,hazelnuts, pistachios, Brazil nut, cashews. Nut flours are extremely expensive and not easily available. If you have a food processor you not only can make your own, but you will save a lot of money, too."
Tip "Make sure the nuts are dry before processing them." |
And there you have it.
You've made your own nut flour.
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See how easy and simple that is? This is really going back to basics, and that is a good thing. Buying convenience is attractive to me, as well. |
Almond flour and hazelnut flour
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But, whenever I got in a crunch, in one of those moments when there was no nut flour on supply, I've had to improvise and use what I had. I've always found myself using the fall back plan, and going old school has never failed me.
