05 6 / 2012
Brown Butter, Almond Butter
Considering my fairly nomadic lifestyle, it might be hard to believe how many kitchen appliances I have. When I made the move from Chicago to DC this winter, I was determined to bring my food processor safely with me. I gave away 5 bags to Goodwill and shipped 5 boxes to make way for it. It took up 1/4 of the space in suitcases which may seem a little extreme when you consider the amount of more essential items (like, say, clothes) that needed to come with me but, believe me, it was totally necessary.
Lately, I’ve been making almond butter like the apocalypse is coming and I need some extra stores. It’s infinitely better than store-bought almond butter and (I think) a bit cheaper. I’ve made it using both roasted and raw almonds — raw is a bit sweeter but takes about 2-3 times as long to process fully.
Normally when I make almond butter I keep it simple. I just grind the almonds until smooth and add a bit of salt. But I’ve had this recipe idea on my mind for a while and am just now getting around to trying it out. Brown butter is one of my favorite things to make because it makes everything takes like toffee…kind of.
Brown Butter, Almond Butter
3 cups whole almonds, roasted or raw
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon stevia, honey, or agave nectar (optional)
In a food processor or hefty blender, process the almonds and salt for 5-15 minutes (raw takes much longer) until smooth. If you want chunky almond butter just remove about a 1/2 cup of the coarse almonds.
In a saucepan, heat butter on medium until it turns slightly brown and gives off a warm, nutty smell. Add the butter and sweetener to almond butter and blend.
