Post #338080 by Scottes on Fri, Oct 12, 2007 12:00 PM

I blanched 2 pounds of raw almonds last night, and watched Gordon Ramsay while I peeled them.

I did not blanch them long enough and as a result it was slightly difficult to remove the skins. Another 15 seconds would have done it, but there were some bits of skin here and there and it should have been easier.

My recommendation would be to get a big pot of water boiling, throw in the almonds and stir and agitate for exactly 1 minute, then quickly strain through a colander and shock with plenty of cold water.

Given how long it took to peel them I was getting irritated and started wondering if it was worth it. Then I popped a couple in my mouth. Wow! There is most certainly a very noticeable difference between fresh-blanched whole almonds and pre-blanched slivers. Very noticeable. I am very curious as to how the finished product will turn out, which I'll find out tonight.