Preparation To shell: break
shell with nutcracker or hammer. Break paper-shells with hands, extract
kernel or double kernel, which is the almond meat, and discard the shell.
The almond kernel has a tight, brown skin. The almond can be chopped or
ground with the brown skin, as used in Linzer torte and spiced cookies, or
used whole for parching and certain confections, as praline. For all other
purposes the almond kernel is scalded to remove the brown skin. Scalded
almonds are also called blanched almonds.
Almond sprouts
add an almond flavor to many recipes that almond meats may be used for and
can be added to salads as a tasty change to the more traditional sprouts.
To blanch: pour boiling water over almonds and let stand
for 2 minutes. Drain, cover with cold water and squeeze white almond out
of the brown skin with the fingers. Blanched almonds are used whole,
chopped, shaved, slivered and ground. They can be ground in a regular nut
grinder or in an imported Scandinavian or European almond grinder which
grinds them as fine as flour. Almond flour is used for finest cookies and
small pastries.
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