Roasted Almond Butter
Hey guys! This is André here. Recipes for nuts and seeds butters can be found throughout dozens of books and blogs. So even though this is actually not an original recipe we've created, it is one we've adapted to our own use and repeat time and time again. This simple almond butter is a staple in our pantry and you will find it in many of our future recipes (like these Toasts, this Easter "Cheesecake" and this Spirulina Banana Whip), so it totally makes sense that we'd share it with you guys.
We used to always have a few different store-bought nut butters at home until we realized one day how much cheaper and healthier it is to make our own without all the added nasties. It turned out to be the simplest (and most spectacular!) thing ever and now we make sure we never run out of some sort of homemade nut and/or seed butter. Almond butter definitely takes home the prize for being the one we make the most, but we've also tried cashew, pumpkin seed, hazelnut (+ raw cacao + natural sweetener = healthy nutella! [YUM] ) and even pistachio. We've kept this recipe as plain as it gets because we add it to so many meals, from smoothies to desserts or even stews and curries. But adding a teaspoon of salt or even a few teaspoons of maple syrup will take them to a whole new dimension if you plan on eating it on toast (... or by the spoonful...).
Roasting whichever nuts and seeds you want to turn into butter not only enhances their flavours but it helps them release their oils much faster. The actual amount of time it will take to achieve the smooth texture we recommend will totally depend on a few other factors such as the power of your food processor/blender and, ultimately, the quality of the nuts/seeds you're using. We've had batches of roasted almonds take over 20 minutes to turn into smooth butter and others take under 5 minutes. In the slideshow below you can get a better idea of what the stages of nut butter-making look like.
Almond Butter
45 minutes | makes 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 cups | 500 gr. raw almonds
(if you'd like your almonds peeled, simply blanch them in boiling water for a minute tops, drain and peel one by one)
STEP BY STEP
Preheat your oven to 150ºC/300ºF.
Spread the almonds on a baking tray and roast for about 20 minutes (or until they turn golden brown).
Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely before placing them in your food processor or blender.
Process/blend for a minute and stop to scrape down the sides of the jar. Continue to process until you get a smooth, runny paste, stopping every minute or so to scrape down the sides (this will also keep you processor from overheating!).
Pour your almond butter in an airtight jar or container and keep in the fridge for 4 weeks.
PS- If you're on team chunky, just scoop about a 1/4 cup of chopped almonds from your processor before they turn into a fine meal and add them once your butter is ready.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOY!
We're new at this recipe-writing deal. Let us know what you think we could improve in the comment section! xo