Many recipes call for blanched almonds, the nuts with their skins removed. You can buy whole blanched almonds or blanched slivered almonds online or at the local store. But blanching almonds at home is rather simple. It takes about 15 minutes of hands-on work. Read along to learn how to blanch almonds in your home kitchen.

First select whole almonds with their skins intact. The skins protect the nuts from insect damage and help the kernel retain its fresh taste longer. I find that the turnover is good at my local health food store or Whole Foods where almonds are sold in bulk in bins. So I buy there or order online.

Cover the almonds with boiling water and let them soak for 30 minutes to an hour.

Then squeeze each almond between your thumb and index finger until the almond kernel slips out of its skin. If the skins stick, let them soak longer.  You can drain the almonds and add more boiling water if they seem especially resistant, which is rarely the case.

The plump almonds are now ready to use to make almond milk, frangipane, ajo blanco, and any other recipe that calls for blanched almonds.