Almond and Mincemeat Bars by Recipes Made Easy (2024)

FAQs

Can I use almond flour instead of almond meal? ›

Because almond flour is by definition as fine as you can get (without transforming the blanched almonds all the way into almond butter), it's important that you only use it in place of almond meal if the bake requires a finely ground almond product.

Simply add raw almonds (with skin on) to a blender and blitz until a fine, powdery flour is achieved. I like to turn the blender on the highest setting for 5-10 seconds, then stop, shake, and hit the sides to see if any clumps have formed. Then blend again until fine and powdery.

If the almonds in the recipe are just there for flavour try, substituting with the equal weight of plain or wholemeal flour plus vanilla essence or lemon juice. Note, however, wheat flour and nut flours are not interchangeable. The protein, fats and moisture are totally different, not to mention the gluten aspect.

Make a popular variation on traditional frangipane filling by substituting ground pistachios or ground hazelnuts for almond meal.

You can use almond meal and almond flour interchangeably in most recipes. Still, almond meal is typically preferred as a bread crumb substitute or coating element, while almond flour is preferred for baking.

Almond meal is made from ground almonds with the skin still on, which gives it a slightly coarser texture and a more noticeable almond flavor. Almond flour is made from blanched almonds that have had the skins removed, resulting in a finer texture and a milder flavor.

Our answer. Almond meal, also known as almond flour or ground almonds, is made from ground up almonds. Nigella tends to use white ground almonds - this is made from blanched almonds that have had their skins removed before grinding.

Almond flour can be substituted for regular flour at a 1:1 ratio. It is important to note that almond flour may require more egg to bind the flour.

Almond flour is a little more moist than wheat flour, and doesn't have quite the same binding qualities. You'll do best to substitute 1:1 to begin with, as many recipes respond well to this direct replacement. But be prepared to add more almond flour as you go to compensate for the wetter batter.

Is almond flour just ground up almonds? ›

Almond flour isn't a type of milled flour, rather it is simply finely ground almonds. It's typically made with blanched almonds and lacks the dark flecks of skin, though this isn't always the case. It's the main ingredient in French macarons, and commonly used for airy cakes, as well as cookies and quick breads.

You may also need to adapt your methodology, as techniques designed to encourage gluten formation are not necessary when baking with ground almonds. Flour: replace 1 cup of flour with 1 1/4 scant cups of ground almonds / replace 100g of flour with 90g of ground almonds.

Frangipane is a rich, cream-based filling, while marzipan is a thick paste mostly used for decorative purposes. The main thing they have in common is the almonds required to make each one, but beyond that, they're wildly different — especially in consistency — meaning you'll find them used differently, too.

Unlike almond paste and marzipan, it is not a product that you can buy off the supermarket shelf, so you need to make it yourself. Another difference between frangipane and almond paste and marzipan is the ingredients. In addition to almonds and sugar, frangipane contains eggs, butter, and flour.

Rolled Oats. You can make oat flour to use as almond meal substitutes by grinding rolled oats in your food processor. The texture is similar to almond meal but the flavour will be slightly 'oaty' but I quite like it!

You can make oat flour to use as almond meal substitutes by grinding rolled oats in your food processor. The texture is similar to almond meal but the flavour will be slightly 'oaty' but I quite like it! Especially in muffins.

Converting from Traditional Flour

When converting almond flour, you can use a 1:1 ratio from traditional flour, however this can vary depending on the recipe. Most recipes will require a little extra flour, though, due to their different properties and composition.

Almond meal is made from raw unpeeled almonds. It is usually more coarse in texture and has a darker color than almond flour because of the almond skin. It is usually used for baking bread or not as "cakey" texture baked goods. For macaron making, almond flour should be used because we want to create a finer texture.