Almond paste is commonly used to fill various types of biscuits and sweets. It can be difficult to find and, while finding it, many times the price could dissuade you from buying. Fortunately, it is possible to prepare it at home by following a few simple steps.
Ingrediants
Standard Almond Paste
Doses for 24 servings
- 1 1/2 cups whole almonds
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 egg white
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (8 ml) of almond extract
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons of butter (optional)
Fast Version
Doses for 24 servings
- 1 1/2 cups of almond flour
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) of almond extract
- 1 egg white
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Peel the Almonds
Step 1. Bring the water to a boil
Pour some water into a saucepan, filling it 2/3 full. Heat it over high heat until it comes to a boil.
- The almonds must be blanched to remove the peel. Do not leave it when preparing the pasta, otherwise the final product will have a rough and grainy texture.
- The blanched almonds have already been peeled, so you can skip this part of the process.
Step 2. Boil the almonds
Pour the almonds into the water and blanch them for 1 minute.
- It is essential not to boil the almonds for more than 1 minute, otherwise they will begin to soften. You just need to peel off the peel, while it is not necessary to cook them completely.
- Boil all the almonds at once rather than blanching them in batches.
Step 3. Drain the almonds and let them cool
Immediately remove them from the heat and pour the contents of the pot into a colander. Rinse them with cold tap water to stop the cooking process.
- Dab the almonds with a paper towel once they are cold. They don't have to be perfectly dry, but neither should they be soaking wet.
- Remember that the almond skin should appear shriveled at this point, while the almonds should still feel hard to the touch.
Step 4. Peel the almonds
Grab an almond on the edge, pinching it between your forefinger and thumb. Carefully squeeze the bottom of the almond, exerting enough force to be able to peel it.
- Repeat the process with each almond.
- Don't squeeze almonds too hard. They could splash out of their shells and fall elsewhere if you're not careful.
Step 5. Let them dry well
Spread the almonds on a clean kitchen counter and leave them exposed to the air for a few hours or until they are completely dry to the touch.
Blot them with a clean paper towel to remove excess water and speed up the drying process. Instead of spreading them directly on the counter, sprinkle them on a layer or two of clean napkins to soak up the remaining water
Part 2 of 3: Prepare the Pasta
Step 1. Chop the almonds with a food processor
Put the blanched almonds in a food processor, close it and let it work them at full speed until they are smooth in texture.
- The consistency of chopped almonds should be similar to that of coarse flour. You don't need to get a fine powder, but there shouldn't be any visible almond pieces left either.
- If you find that the grinding process is not going smoothly, turn off the food processor and stir the almonds with a spatula before turning it back on.
- The food processor can be replaced with a blender.
Step 2. Add the other ingredients
Incorporate the powdered sugar, egg white, almond extract and salt. Close the food processor again and work the ingredients at high speed until a smooth, homogeneous mixture is obtained.
- It may take 10 minutes or more for a real dough to form. The duration of the procedure depends on the efficiency and speed of the food processor.
- At the end of the procedure, a thick clay-like paste should form.
Step 3. Divide the almond paste into portions
Take the almond paste into one ½ cup (125 ml) portion at a time. Shape each portion with your hands until you have a ball or a kind of loaf.
Step 4. Wrap the almond paste with cling film
Place each portion in the center of a sheet of cling film and wrap it tightly. Place each portion in an airtight container, then label it indicating content, quantity and date.
- Labeling the container helps keep track of shelf life more easily.
- You could simply use cling film or replace it with an airtight bag or plastic container. It is not necessary to use both, but this trick positively affects the freshness and duration of the almond paste over time.
Step 5. Store it at a cool temperature
The almond paste can be stored in the fridge or freezer. In the first case it should last 1 month, in the second 3.
Step 6. Add some butter before using if desired
Butter is not an essential ingredient, but incorporating it into almond paste helps to achieve a smoother, less sticky end product. Add it just before using the paste.
- Soften the butter and cut it into cubes.
- Roll out the almond paste and spread the butter over the surface.
- Knead the almond paste and butter to mix them well. Blend them until there is no visible trace of butter left.
Part 3 of 3: Quick Version
Step 1. Mix the almond paste and powdered sugar
Put the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor and run it on a fast pulse to mix the 2 ingredients.
- With this method you should also be able to dissolve any lumps, making sure that the final product is as smooth and homogeneous as possible.
- Consider that white almond flour can be replaced with wholemeal if you can't find it.
- Alternatively, you could sift the almond flour and powdered sugar to mix them and remove the lumps. However, since you'll still have to use a food processor, sifting the ingredients will require an additional step that isn't always worth the effort.
- The food processor can be replaced with a blender.
Step 2. Add the almond extract
Pour 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of almond extract into the food processor and pulse it to mix it with the flour mixture.
- Taste the blend. Add another 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) of almond extract if you find its flavor less intense.
- It is important to make sure that the almond paste tastes good before moving on to the next step, which is to add an egg white. Be aware that eating raw eggs is dangerous.
Step 3. Add the egg white
Lightly beat the egg white with a fork or whisk. Pour it into the food processor. Work the ingredients on medium speed for a good 2 minutes.
- When the process is complete, the almond paste should be smooth and naturally take on a rounded shape, similar to a ball of clay.
- Add another tablespoon of almond flour and work the mixture until smooth if the dough continues to be sticky.
Step 4. Wrap the almond paste with cling film
Remove the ball from the food processor and wrap it tightly in cling film. Put it in a plastic bag or airtight container, then label it with contents and date.
- It is not necessary to store the pasta using a double wrap, but this will help keep it fresh longer.
- Are you going to use only a small portion of pasta at a time? You can divide it into individual portions and store them separately. However, it is not necessary.
Step 5. Store it in the fridge
Wrap the almond paste, put it in the fridge. Remember that this method allows you to keep it for up to 1 month.
Freeze it to keep it longer. Once frozen, the almond paste keeps all its properties intact for about 3 months
Advice
- Despite having similarities, almond paste and marzipan are not the same thing. In fact, some ingredients and the relationship between almonds and icing sugar change. Marzipan is also sweeter and is usually used as a candy or to decorate cakes. Almond paste, on the other hand, is generally used to fill sweets.
- Almond paste can harden when stored longer before use. If you find it hardened when you use it, you need to soften it first. You can do this by putting it in an airtight bag along with a slice of fresh bread. Close the bag and leave it in it overnight. The humidity of the bread is enough to soften it.
