Almond and Mincemeat Bars by Recipes Made Easy (2024)

FAQs

Can I use almond flour instead of almond meal? ›

Culinary applications. You can use almond meal and flour interchangeably in most recipes. However, almond meal is usually used as a bread crumb substitute or coating element due to its physical characteristics. In contrast, almond flour is typically preferred for baked goods.

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.

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.

As mentioned above, almond flour is made from blanched, peeled almonds that have had their skins removed. It's fairly fine in texture and light in colour, lacking the darker specks from the skins. Ground almonds, on the other hand, are the same thing as almond meal – they're just ground, skin-on, unpeeled almonds.

Keep in mind that substituting almond meal for almond flour may result in a slightly denser texture and a slightly more noticeable almond flavor. Additionally, since almond meal has a coarser texture, it may require more moisture in the recipe to produce a similar texture to almond flour.

For example, if you're making delicate macarons or a light, airy cake, you'll want to reach for more fine almond flour so baked goods the light texture you're looking for. If your recipe is more forgiving, like quick bread or breaded meat, it likely won't matter much and you can use either one.

Since baking powder contains baking soda, baking powder cannot be used in almond flour baking. Instead, eggs (or applesauce or bananas) can be used as the leavening agent to help baked goods rise and achieve a light and fluffy texture.

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 flour is a low glycemic index food. Compared to wheat flour, almond flour has fewer sugars and carbohydrates. Switching to almond flour can help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels more effectively. Almond flour contains a lot of prebiotic dietary fiber.

Is almond meal just crushed almonds? ›

Almond meal vs almond flour

The difference between them is pretty straightforward. Whilst almond meal is made from whole almonds, almond flour is made from peeled blanched almonds. Commercially bought ground almonds may be labelled as almond meal, almond flour, or just ground almonds.

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.

Making your own almond flour at home is as simple as adding blanched almonds to your food processor or blender, and processing them until they are finely ground. However, there are a few tips & best practices to keep in mind: One cup of slivered almonds = about one cup of almond flour.

Simply add blanched almonds to a blender and blitz until a fine, powdery flour is achieved. You know you've gone too far if it starts turning to almond butter instead. Not only is it simple to make, but homemade almond flour tastes fresher and is usually more cost-effective than storebought.

Other names for almond flour are powdered almonds, almond meal, and almond powder. (Some say that only blanched almonds are used for what is called almond flour, but I've seen unblanched almond “flour” listed as such, so that's not always the case.)

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. Check out our almond flour recipe book here for more information on a specific recipe!