I purchased three pounds of almond flour with the intention of trying my hand at making macarons, but I found myself staring at the unopened bag that reached its “best by” date the day before. I knew that almond paste could last a long time in the refrigerator and was made with blanched and ground almonds. So, I thought I should be able to use my almond flour (made from blanched and ground almonds) to make almond paste. While I did not make all three pounds of flour into almond paste, I was able to make a large batch.
Why make your own almond paste even if you do not have a bunch of almond flour to use in a relatively short time? Three reasons: taste, cost, and supply.
Although the brands that can be found in a grocery store like Solo or Odense are fine, I prefer the flavor of my homemade almond paste. Making your own paste allows you to customize it a little to meet your personal preferences. The type and amount of extract or liquor, the amount of sugar to almond flour, etc. can all be decided by you.
The cost of just 8 ounces of almond paste is currently just over 5 dollars where I live. That is the same cost as I paid for per pound of almond flour. Even when you add in the cost of the other ingredients, the cost of a pound of homemade paste is less than 2 dollars more than just a half-pound purchased from the store.
Almond paste is so quick and easy to make that if you decide at the last minute to bake something that needs almond paste you can whip up a batch in far less time than it takes to go to the store. Plus, keeping a supply of almond flour has many more uses than just making almond paste. On the other hand, in keeping a supply of almond paste you are limited with what can be done with it.
Quick Almond Paste
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 c. almond flour
- 1 1/2 c. confectioners sugar
- 2 egg whites (I used pasteurized egg whites so I can taste/use the paste without cooking it)
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. almond extract
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl or a food processor, combine all ingredients until a dough-like paste is formed.
- If mixing by hand, you may need to kind of knead the dough with your hands to blend all of the ingredients together.
- Form into a log and place it in the middle of a sheet of plastic wrap.
- Simultaneously twist both ends of the plastic wrap until the plastic is securely around the now solid log.
- Can be used immediately or stored in a plastic zip bag in the refrigerator or freezer to later use.
Want an easy recipe that uses almond paste? Try my Easy Bear Claws.
