[aleksandra]

Hello girls!
I was thinking about making my own peanut butter and almond butter.
I'm going to make my peanut butter of peanuts and lineseed, adding a bit salt. (any other suggestions are welcome, of course )
I'm having a few problems with my almond butter/spread. The thing is I've never tasted it before and have no idea what to ad - should I add salt or rather some molossa? Or perhaps some dried fruit (if the taste is supposed to be sweet)? Coconut? I HAVE NO IDEA
So, has anyone any suggestions what to give into almond butter?

[kaplods]

When I buy peanut butter, almond butter, and cashew butter, I like to buy them in stores (usually healthfood stores) that allow you to grind your own. You flip a switch and the machine grinds the nuts. The nuts have been roasted, but there's no added oil, and if salt is added, it's not much and done during the roasting.

If you're not using roasted almonds, there probably won't be nearly as much flavor. (if you used raw peanuts, you'd have the same problem with peanut butter). Roasting (with or without salt) brings out the flavor.

You can add ingredients of you want (salt, sugar, fat...) but if you roast the nuts first, you probably won't have to (at least not as much).



If you're using raw or blanched almonds, the flavor won't be as intense.

[aleksandra]

thanks a lot for the tip!
I've made crunchy peanut butter and coconut butter. YUM
I didn't have time to do the almonds today, so I'll do it later on this week.

[zenor77]

I love making walnut butter. I've also made a multi-nut butter with cashews, walnuts and brazil nuts. Tasty stuff. Sometimes I add a touch of honey and a pinch of salt, but not always.

[lin43]

I just made cashew butter w/ roasted cashews this past week, but I don't think I ground it long enough because it was REALLY stiff (barely spreadable). Any tips?

However, it was SO good that I actually had to throw it out eventually. I kept finding myself going into my fridge and eating a tablespoon full. It had a sweetness to it that was almost dessert-like (and I didn't add any sweetener).

[kaplods]

Originally Posted by lin43

I just made cashew butter w/ roasted cashews this past week, but I don't think I ground it long enough because it was REALLY stiff (barely spreadable). Any tips?

However, it was SO good that I actually had to throw it out eventually. I kept finding myself going into my fridge and eating a tablespoon full. It had a sweetness to it that was almost dessert-like (and I didn't add any sweetener).

If you keep them in the fridge, all natural nut butters tend to be unspreadable. Keeping them in the cupboard helps - but you need to eat it within a month or two or you risk the nut butter going rancid. Also, the oil will seperate and float to the top, so you have to stir it back in before using.

You can also keep them in the fridge, but warm in the microwave before using. It tends to dry the nut butter over time, so instead of nuking the whole jar, I just microwave a small amount at a time (either just what I want to use, or a 1/4 cup or so, and then keep the leftovers in the fridge).

[lin43]

Originally Posted by kaplods

If you keep them in the fridge, all natural nut butters tend to be unspreadable. Keeping them in the cupboard helps - but you need to eat it within a month or two or you risk the nut butter going rancid. Also, the oil will seperate and float to the top, so you have to stir it back in before using.

You can also keep them in the fridge, but warm in the microwave before using. It tends to dry the nut butter over time, so instead of nuking the whole jar, I just microwave a small amount at a time (either just what I want to use, or a 1/4 cup or so, and then keep the leftovers in the fridge).

That microwave idea is a good one. Thanks!

It's funny, but I buy Trader Joe's organic, creamy p.b., and I have to keep it refrigerated; otherwise, it's runny (my brother-in-law jokes that we can make a drink out of it!). The only ingredients in it are peanuts (not even salt). I wonder why it doesn't stay as solid as my homemade cashew butter.