Almond Paste Uses

There are various almond paste uses that are beneficial in our day-to-day lives. However, it’s most important use in the making of cookies, cakes and other bakery products. Let’s uncover some more information on almond paste.

Most of us know how beneficial almonds are for the optimal health of the body. Almonds have been a part of our diets since ages and even today parents strongly recommend almonds for kids due to its amazing nutritional benefits. Over the years man has created many derivatives of this amazing food and these derivatives are also famous as the original almond. You guys must have heard about almond milk, almond butter, almond flour, almond paste etc. In this article we are going to discuss various almond paste uses and the amazing nutritional benefits that it offers.

The appearance of almond paste will actually remind you of a lump of play dough. It’s primarily made from almonds, sugar, cooking oil, cream, corn syrup (optional) or beaten eggs. Almond paste is often compared to marzipan but it’s very different than the latter as marzipan is made with high amount of sugar, less of almond meal, food preservatives and food cloning. One of the most important use of almond paste is its importance in the American Bear Claw pastry. This pastry just cannot be made if almond paste is not added to the recipe. Almond paste is also used in the making of various other cookies, cakes and many sweet dishes all around the globe. So if you want to make your cakes and cookies more nutritious, here are some simple recipes of almond paste.

Recipes

Ingredients

• Blanched almonds, 1 pound
• Confectioners sugar, 1 pack
• Almond extract, 1 tsp
• Egg whites, 3

Preparation
First add all the almonds in the blender and blend until you get a fine powder. Now pour this powder in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the sugar and eggs, mix well. Pour the almond extract and mix well until the mixture gets smooth.

Ingredients

• Dried blanched almonds, 10 oz
• Corn syrup, ¼ cup
• Water, 1 cup
• Powdered sugar, 10 oz
• Granulated sugar, 5 oz

Preparation
First prepare the sugar syrup by placing the water, sugar and corn syrup in saucepan. Stir it well and heat the mixture till it comes to a boil. Now let it get cooled. Add all the almonds in the food processor and blend them until they come out as fine powder. Add the sugar syrup in the processor and mix it till you get clear almond paste without any lumps.

Nutritional Value

Apart from almonds being the main ingredient, the paste also consists of cream oil and eggs which help contribute to the moistness. The nutritional content of almond paste can vary considerably depending on the amount of sugar and other ingredients added in the mixture. 1 oz of almond paste contains;

Choosing Almond Paste
Most people choose to buy almond paste from the market which is absolutely fine as long as it is not mixed with cornstarch, kosher or gluten. The paste works as a great flavoring agent in cakes, pastries and various sweet dishes. It’s a favorite ingredient with chefs who want to add a distinctive taste to their cakes and sweet dishes. It’s advisable that people should choose only the best quality almond paste. A good quality almond paste must have at least 60% almonds. There are various brands in the market but “Love N Bake” and “Odsense” have received many positive reviews. It’s advised that almond paste should be kept under refrigeration at all times, so that it doesn’t get spoiled.

Other than acting as a flavoring agent, the paste of almond is also considered very healthy for the immune system as it is one of the most nutritious nuts in the world. Unlike other nuts, almonds have very low cholesterol levels and contribute in healthy weight loss. They are a rich source of antioxidants and very helpful for gaining healthy skin and hair.

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