As we celebrate National Almond Day we are reminded how significant almonds are in many dishes around the world from savory to sweet almonds add a nice flavor to any course.
National Almond Day celebrates almonds as a whole, blanched almonds and silvered almonds. Whole almonds are used for snacks, grinding for flour among other things. Also you can make almond butter (like peanut butter) and spread on a cracker or make a sandwich.
Some of the use of blanched almonds is used for baking cookies, cakes and as a paste. Silvered almonds are often used in salads, vegetable dishes, cereals and for decorating outside of a cake and on top of a cupcake.
Almonds are always recommended as a healthy snack although ¼ cup of almonds contains 18g of fat but is mostly unsaturated fat which is good for the heart. Almonds also aid in lowering cholesterol.
The “British Journal of Nutrition” in September 2007 showed participants who ate 360 calories of almonds within a 10 week period did not gain any extra weight. The researchers guessed that almonds increase a feeling of being full so people ate less at their other meals.
Almonds have 45 percent of the recommended dietary allowance for the antioxidant vitamin E in ¼ of a cup.
National Almond Day is a great day to make a tasty meal or dessert using this nut. When grounded to be used as flour for baking it makes your sweet treat gluten free.
Include some almonds today for the health benefits it can contribute in your life on National Almond Day.
Recipe
Almond Cake (Gluten Free)
• 2 cups of almond flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 2/3 cups of confectioner sugar (10x)
• 5 egg whites
Topping
• 2/3 cups of white sugar
• ½ cup of heavy cream
• 2/3 cups butter
• 5 egg yolks
Chocolate Drizzle
• ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate
Steps
1. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Spray a 9 in pan and cut a piece of parchment paper the size of the bottom of the pan.
2. In a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar.
3. Stir in heavy cream, cook and stir until the mixture is very thick. Remove from heat, and stir in butter until completely incorporated. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface and refrigerate overnight in a glass or metal bowl.
4. Whip egg white with mixer until it has a firm peak. Sift together ground almonds, baking powder and confectioner sugar. Using a rubber spatula fold together 1/3 of egg whites into almond mixture to lighten; fold remaining egg whites until well blended.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes in oven, until the top of cake springs back when pushed lightly. Cool cake, then remove from pan and remove parchment paper.
6. Spread the glaze that you refrigerated overnight.
7. Melt chocolate over double let cool for 5-10 minutes. Then drizzle over glaze.
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