Serves: n/a
Cost: ~€5
Preparation time: ~30 minutes
Calories: ~30 per 1tsp
Well, it’s been a boring few days. As much as I love “lounging around” in bed I’m not accustomed to having to do it non-stop for days on end. Still – I’m pretty much better. I can stand up straight, I can walk without falling over and I’m back at work today. I’m still going to take it easy for a bit, and I’m definitely going to be doing back exercises every day, as well as trying to be a little more active and exercise more regularly. I certainly don’t want a repeat performance of that intolerable pain any time soon.
I haven’t been able to cook anything during the time I’ve been laid up so I can’t wait to get back into the kitchen. Luckily I had a couple of things which I prepared earlier but hadn’t got around to writing about yet. The churros from last post, and of course, the nut butter today. Nut butter is fantastically fun to make, and for anyone who hasn’t made it before I strongly urge you to give it a go. You will of course need a food processor, but aside from that, all you need is nuts. You don’t have to necessarily use almonds of course. You can use hazelnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts… pretty much any one you like, or even a mixture. Watching the transformation of textures as the nuts are being processed is absolutely fascinating, and I’ve done my best to try and capture the various stages below.
You can make roasted or raw nut butter. The type you make is entirely dependant on your own tastes. If making raw then simply omit the initial stage of roasting in the oven. The “recipe” is extremely simple, although I will document it below anyway for ease of reading and I hope you enjoy it. It’s one of these things which is extremely satisfying to make and can be used for a great many things in baking and food preparation. PeanutAlmond Butter Jelly Sandwich anyone?
I mentioned my wife’s birthday a week ago or so, which prompted a hail of well-wishes. I feel like I misled you though because I didn’t actually mention the date. Her birthday is actually today – happy birthday dear! Your kind comments were nonetheless appreciated by her then though. Sadly, our plans of a celebratory crayfish meal – something we have been enjoying together on her birthday every year for the past 6 years or so, and by her with her family back home in Sweden for far longer – were wrecked. IKEA seems to have stopped selling them for some unknown reason. They do sell crayfish in my local supermarket in the fish section; I have no idea where they’re from but they’re absolutely miniscule (the same sort of size as shrimps). The ones traditionally caught in Sweden, and also now imported from China and Thailand are of a different variety it seems. Having a meal with little shrimpy crayfish wouldn’t be the same sadly, so instead we’re going to have some fine tournedos steaks, roasted vine tomatoes, herby, buttery mashed potatoes and a green peppercorn sauce. After that will be the “pièce de résistance” – the birthday cake, which she requests each year, which I will be posting shortly too.
Have a great day everyone!
Almond Nut Butter
[learn_more caption=”Video Recipe” state=”open”]
Ingredients
- ~400g Almonds (depending on how much you wish to make)
- 1tsp Salt (optional)
You’ll also need
- A Food Processor
Instructions
- Start off by spreading the almonds out onto a baking tray and roasting in the oven for 10-15 minutes at about 180 degrees Celsius, shaking them from time to time to ensure they don’t burn. If you’re making raw nut butter then skip this step and move directly onto step 2.
- Transfer the almonds and salt (if used) to your Food Processor and start blitzing. After a couple of minutes you’ll have ground almonds.
- Keep on processing. After about 5-7 minutes you’ll start having a dry paste. You’ll need to stop the food processor periodically, both to allow it to cool down (blending nuts non-stop for 15 minutes will heat up and put a strain on the mixer motor), and also to push the almond paste down from the side of the bowl. Finally you will reach the “butter” stage. The consistency will be smooth, spreadable, and oily. Blend until your desired consistency is reached.
- Wash and dry a suitably sized jar or container thoroughly. Transfer the nut butter into the jar, seal and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
That’s great Charles. I love this almond nut butter and yes, it’s great to be able to watch the almonds transform into a butter. Sorry to hear you weren’t able to enjoy a crayfish dinner. Hopefully the cake made up for it and I’ll look forward to that post xx
Thanks Charlie – the cake and steak dinner definitely made up for it 😉
How disappointing that the crayfish aren’t available. I love traditions like that. I don’t supposed almond butter and jelly sandwiches would be the same. 🙂
So glad to hear you’re feeling better, my friend!
Hi Maureen – one day when I live in Sweden, believe me: that’s one tradition that we definitely won’t be letting slip 🙂
Almond butter is delicious — no need to apologize. Happy Birthday to your wife!
Thanks Sharyn – it was so much fun, watching it slowly transform 🙂
Delicious almond butter — and it goes great with your strawberry jam and some freshly baked bread! Now… back to the kitchen with you! My cake won’t make itself! <3
It was a good idea to make it wifey – thanks for the recommendation!
A very Happy Birthday to your wife…I know the cake you make for her will be wonderful. Hope your back gets better and better each day. I enjoyed your nut butter post so don’t apologize.
Thanks Karen – it was so fun watching it turn from almonds into the paste like this 🙂
Charles, I’m sorry to hear you’ve not been feeling well. I’ve had bouts when I couldn’t get in the kitchen, at first its fine for a break, but then it starts to drive me crazy! 🙂 Glad you could whip up a bit of almond butter. Always my favorite- and I just realized I never roasted my nuts before! Nice to get a new tip!
Hi Linda – it was a lot of fun making it. Happily I can actually move about more now – still hurts a bit though 🙂
I LOVE almonds! And this almond nut butter can go on just about everything. I never knew how to make this, so thanks a lot Charles for the post. I am excited now 🙂
Thanks a lot Kay 🙂
I love any kind of nut butter; we grind our own peanut butter on a regular basis without any additives. It’s so much better when it’s home made, I can’t even stomach the store bought kind anymore.
Happy birthday Mrs. Charles, I do hope that Mr. Charles spoiled you silly!
Glad that you are on the mend, JT threw his back out some years ago and I just couldn’t believe how incapacitating it was for him. Fortunately, I’ve never had it happen to me.
Hi Eva – it’s so expensive when it’s bought too… they charge so much for such a small little jar, and it’s so easy and fun to make at home. I might try un-roasted nut butter next time 🙂
Happy Birthday again to your lovely wife. I’m sorry you won’t be able to celebrate with your traditional crayfish meal but I’m sure that the steaks will be very tasty as well.
Almond butter … not something that’s ever been on my radar but I look forward to your coming up with exciting uses. 🙂
Thanks A_ 🙂 The steak more than made up for the crayfish, but when I live in Sweden one day I’ll definitely be re-starting that!
Happy birthday to your wife! I look forward to seeing the cake you are making of her :).
Homemade nut butter is the best – I love roasting the nuts first too.
Thanks Laura – it was so fun making the nut butter – definitely something I’ll be doing in the future 🙂
Charles, I am gad to hear that you are doing better, and I think that is the best gift for your wife at this time! Happy Birthday to her, and have a wonderful time together.
Almond butter is lovely, and you are right, it is so easy to make!
And how very right you are! And thank you — and everyone else — for the birthday well-wishes! It was a great day with delicious food and awesome company!
Thanks Marina 🙂
Ohh.. this is still on my list-to make soon. My daughter loves almond butter. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Yudith – I might try making it with walnuts next time 🙂
Wow! So it’s soooo easy to make a nut butter? I had no idea. It looks absolutely irresistible. I already feel I couldn’t stop eating it with a spoon, on its own. It reminds me a bit (visually) of sesame paste (I love this one). I think I will prepare it for my husband (do you think it’s also possible with peeled almonds? I think I have lots of these).
Happy Birthday to your wife! (I know I’m late…) I hope your tournedos feast was a big success! I am looking forward to seeing the birthday cake. Very intriguing.
As for IKEA, they started to sell the fish roe blue paste again (remember I told you they stopped here for at least a year), but they will never sell the only industrial chocolates I loved (DAIM)… They sell something awful instead, it’s inedible (they made me taste it… I suppose it doesn’t sell well). I really like IKEA less and less… (They still sell crayfish here I think).
Hi Sissi – I’m shocked they have started selling the good caviar “Kalles” again. Maybe this means they will start to stock the “brand name” stuff again. It’s so sad – they used to have wonderful cheeses, candies, cookies… and now it’s all stuff made by IKEA directly 🙁
I hope you have a try at making the nut butter – it’s SO fun to make 🙂
Happy Birthday to The Wife (I like that). I wonder how pecans would work out, I have tried many nut butters but never pecan and they are my favorite. Looking forward to the birthday cake. Cheers!
Hi Suzi – pecans are wonderful aren’t they… I might give them a try next time 🙂
I tried really, really hard to try to like almond butter, but like peanut butter, I just can’t stomach it plain. BUT it just dawned on me that I enjoy peanut butter in desserts, so why not almond butter? It would be a nice twist for some cookies and candies…and always better homemade 🙂
Hi Liz – I know not everyone is a fan of nut butters. They make the best cookies though. Peanut butter cookies are just “SO” good. I can imagine other nut butters would work well.
Happy belated Birthday to your wife! How simple is this! And here I pay money for something that I’m sure is not NEAR as good and has more preservatives than nuts. 🙂 Thanks!!!!!
Hi MJ – it’s so satisfying to make at home, and very easy. So easily customised too 🙂
It’s so simple to make nut butters I always wonder why people will pay (a lot) for the little jars of “special” nut butters in health food stores! Freshly made, they also have a stronger yummy aroma!
Happy birthday Mrs Five Euro Food (: I wish you and her all the best, and have an awesome dinner you two! Can’t wait to see your piece de resistance!
Hi Shuhan – it’s true, they’re so expensive to buy, yet so easy to make, and so much fun too 🙂
We are big nuts in this family (oops! I mean nut butter fans ;-)) – your version looks silky, gorgeous Charles and I love all the step by step photos.
lol, thanks Kelly – it was a lot of fun to make 🙂
Charles, my mother made her own nut butters, but for some reason I never do. Maybe because my local health food store carries a vast array of them. Nevertheless, it’s something I “should” be doing! Your new substitute birthday dinner sounds delicous – I’d like it far more than the traditional one. But I do like the idea of having the same dinner every year – I love family traditions.
Hi Jean – I think I’d probably make my own, even now because it’s much cheaper and so much more satisfying to do it by hand 🙂
When I did it my food processor was close to burning, but the butter was great. I will definitely do it again 🙂
Haha, yeah, I had to stop my mixer a few times to let it cool down 😀
Why haven’t I made this before Charles? If only I’d realized it was so straight-forward to make nut butter! I haven’t read through all of your posts (we didn’t have internet for most of our vacation in the mountains) but I’m gathering that you’ve put your back out? I hope that you are on the mend and back in business soon!
Hi Barb – it is indeed very straightforward and so much fun to make :).
I hope you had a wonderful vacation in the mountains… it sounds like such a wonderful trip. Did you take any photos?
Glad to hear you are pretty much better and back at work.
A belated happy birthday to your wife. It is a disappointment when you have your heart set on a dish and the main ingredient is no longer available. Substitute sounds wonderful.
Thanks Norma – I still feel some twinges – I hope they will go away 🙂
The dinner was lovely though… it’s good to not dwell on the disappointments and think of the alternative not as a “second prize” but as a complete change 🙂
Hi Charles,
I would love to make this. It looks like such a straightforward and easy recipe to follow.
Happy Birthday to your wife and cannot wait to see the cake!
Thanks Asmita – definitely recommend it… it couldn’t be easier 🙂
Happy belated birthday!!!!! Bummer about Ikea, but having already seen the cake, I’m guessing it was a good and delicious birthday. And Charles I’m so happy you’re feeling better! I can’t even imagine. Ouch!
Thanks Kristy – yesterday and today I’ve been feeling so good, back-wise… so strange that pain can just come along, suddenly render you incapacitated and then almost completely vanish!
I could literally eat this on anything! Looks fabulous! =D
Thanks Angie – I bet you could make some great cookies with it 🙂
Almonds! One of my favourites nuts. 😀 They’re so expensive though but taste so gooooodd…..
Good to hear that you’re better. 😀
Hi Jenny, they can be pricey – it’s best to buy them in bulk. My local store sells the tiny little bags for baking but they also sell massive sacks of the things. 1 kilo for about €7 I think so it’s not too bad 🙂
As I’m going in reverse.. Happy Belated Birthday! And whatever happened to you?! I’m glad to hear you’re on the mend. Reading in reverse almost creates a mystery of sorts. I love almond butter and am pleased to have a recipe for it now!!
Thanks Barbara – indeed, my back is much better now, thank you 🙂 Almond butter was really fun to make – I’d definitely recommend it. It’s one of those things where the result is so satisfying!
I have to admit that I’ve never tasted almond butter despite that almond is my favorite nuts. I imagine applying this on good bread… yum!
So sorry to hear you weren’t well. I’ve been trying to maintain my exercise everyday before summer started and it seems it helps my balance. I am afraid what to do when it gets colder though.
Hi Nami, almond butter is amazing… so much nicer than peanut! Speaking of exercise, I think I’m going to take a good walk this weekend with my camera. See what sort of photos I can get and stretch my muscles a bit too 🙂
Hello!
So, this may seem like a strange question, but does the power of your food processor matter? I’ve really been wanting to make my own nut butter, but I’m afraid mine might be too weak. It’s an 800W Bosch food processor.
Hi Teele, I think 800W should be fine! When making something like this you have to watch out for possibly burning out the motor if it’s not very powerful. As long as the blades can turn and chop the nuts it will be fine. You just might want to turn the machine off every minute or two to “give it a rest” before continuing!