Almond and Mincemeat Bars by Recipes Made Easy (2024)

FAQs

Can I use almond flour instead of almond meal? ›

Almond meal and almond flour both make exciting additions to lots of baked treats and tasty meals. You can use them interchangeably. But almond meal tends to be better in heartier dishes, since it's slightly bitter and has a coarse consistency. Almond flour is sweeter and has a lighter, fluffier texture.

Semolina can make the recipe slightly drier and it has a courser texture, but is usually a perfectly acceptable alternative. Ground rice, which isn't as finely ground as rice flour, also has a reasonably similar texture to ground almonds and is worth a try.

If your recipe calls for less than half the weight of flour in ground almonds you may get a decent result using semolina. Use 80g of semolina per 100g of ground almonds and add an extra 20g of butter or other fat and a drop or two of almond essence.

The bottom line

Almond meal and flour are both made from ground almonds. However, almond meal is made from unpeeled almonds, while the flour is made from blanched ones. The main differences between the two are the grain size, as well as that almond skin is present in almond meal.

Both are made from ground almonds, though almond flour and almond meal have two subtle differences that set them apart. Almond flour is typically made from blanched almonds which have had the skins removed, and is ground more finely than almond meal, which typically still contains the skins and has a more coarse grind.

Almond meal tends to be coarser than flour, but you can often use it in the very same way. It also happens to have the same carb count and nutritional value as almond flour.

So, almond flour is just finely ground blanched almonds. Almond meal is typically made from skin-on, unpeeled almonds (that haven't been blanched) and it's therefore darker in colour. It can vary in coarseness, from the a fairly fine, powdery texture to a slightly coarser texture.

Almond meal, almond flour and ground almonds are all made from crushed sweet almonds. Once specifically used in traditional baking such as macarons, marzipan and frangipane, they are gaining popularity in gluten-free and low-carb diets.

With its subtly sweet taste and delicate undertones Ground almonds are a delicious low-carb, gluten-free baking alternative to standard wheat flour. It contains healthy fats, vitamin E and plant based protein.

Tips: Almond paste is made from ground almonds, sugar and glycerine or other liquid. It may also be called marzipan, but real marzipan is a candy made from almond paste, sugar and sometimes egg whites.

What to use instead of ground almonds in baking cookies? ›

Possible alternatives for replacing smaller amounts of ground almonds in a recipe include breadcrumbs, ground rice, semolina and polenta but the results will vary according to the individual recipe, so each recipe will need to be tried and tested. Uncooked semolina has a similar texture to ground almonds.

Of course, semolina offers the best texture and flavor, but you can swap in an equal amount by volume of bread flour in a pinch. You can also substitute all-purpose flour, but bread flour is a better option — its higher protein content is closer to semolina, which will ensure better results.

Our Super-Fine Almond Flour is made from the finest California-grown almonds, which have been blanched and ground to a fine meal that is ideal for gluten free baking.

Once the skin of all of the almonds is fully removed, they are considered blanched.

If the recipe is already written for almond flour, you can substitute almond meal 1:1. That means that the two are interchangable.

Almond meal is ground-up almonds with their shells on, while some almond flour recipes call for blended blanched almonds (which are just almonds with their shells removed). However, the distinction is small since the meal and flour are practically interchangeable aside from the texture and color.

Almond flour's high-fat content means it can brown more quickly, so a moderate oven of around 325 F (165 C) can prevent burning while allowing the interior to cook thoroughly. Moreover, due to their moisture content, almond flour baked goods might need a longer baking time to set properly.

Almond flour can be substituted for regular flour at a 1:1 ratio. It is important to note that almond flour may require more egg to bind the flour. Check out our almond flour recipe book here for more information on a specific recipe!