When Dealing With Stubborn Almond Skins, Use The Hot Water Trick

Trying to peel off almond skins when the almonds are raw can be an extremely difficult task. The skins can be very stubborn and stick to the almond no matter how hard you try to peel them off, leading to frustration and a waste of your time. Whether you're cooking or baking, making your own homemade almond flour, or simply prefer them peeled as a snack, peeling almonds prepares them for use in many different ways. 

There's also the visual impact of removing almond skins: It gives whatever you're making a smooth, clean appearance rather than having little brown flecks distributed throughout. Additionally, almond skins contain tannins, a type of anti-nutrient that can prevent or decrease the absorption of other nutrients in the food, like iron. This means that removing almond skins is also a great way to make sure your body can easily absorb all of the nutrients that almonds contain. So, how can you make the almond peeling process quicker and easier? All you need to do is soak a bowl of almonds in some boiling water.

To easily peel almonds, simply boil some water and soak your almonds in it for just one minute — no more. Then, cool the almonds in cold water so you don't burn your fingers while peeling. Once your almonds have cooled, they'll be ready to be peeled with ease. 

This process is also often referred to as blanching, so if a recipe calls for blanched almonds, just follow those simple steps. Make sure you don't leave the almonds in the boiling water longer than one minute though, or they'll get too soft. This is particularly important if you're making almond flour for baking, almond paste, or marzipan, which require a firm texture. (And no, almond paste and marzipan are not the same!)

If you want to save blanched almonds for future use, make sure they're completely dry before storing them in an airtight container to avoid mold. Blanched almonds can be kept in a cool, dry location like the pantry for several weeks. You can also freeze blanched almonds for up to a year. It's best to freeze them in single-use containers for easy defrosting, and always mark the date when they were frozen. However long you store them, be sure to check your almonds for signs that they've gone bad — like mold spots.

Now that you have your blanched, peeled almonds ready to go, there are so many tasty ways to enjoy them throughout your day. Give your breakfast a boost with almonds either on their own or make a homemade almond cherry granola mix to create a perfect topping for yogurt or oatmeal. If you're in the mood for a sweet, Italian-inspired dessert, try making a homemade rosemary almond cake. Just be sure to grind your blanched almonds up into almond meal in the food processor before starting the recipe. 

Another great way to use ground, blanched almonds is to add extra crunch to your favorite protein by making almond-crusted shrimp or chicken. Looking for something a little more nostalgic? Try making an almond snack cake recipe featuring sliced almonds and raspberry jam on top. No matter how you choose to include peeled almonds in your cooking, baking, or snacking, you can always have more ready quickly and easily with this hot water trick.