Help please! Grinding nut flours (question regarding making almond torte)

[shoshanad]

I posted a flourless almond torte recipe to my blog (http://www.naturalchefshoshana.blogsp...) and had a friend ask me a question I don't know the answer to, so thought I'd query fellow Chowhounders...

The recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups almonds, which are ground to make your own almond flour. She evidently already has almond flour at home and is wondering if she can just measure out 1 1/2 cups of it, or what the conversion of 1 1/2 cups almonds (pre ground) to almond flour would be.

I wouldn't imagine it's 1:1. Does anyone know for sure?

Thanks!
Shoshana

[anniemax]

Lovely recipe, I'm going to have to bookmark it to try later. One thing I tend to do it put the weight of the nuts in my recipes, along with the whole nut measurement, because I sometimes grind a pound or two ahead when I'm really in a baking phase.

And I have to pass on to you one of the best tips I found for grinding almonds- try to find an actual Almond Grinder ( http://www.ingebretsens.com/details.p... ). I didn't think it would make that big of difference, until I happened upon a wonderful, new in package one at a local thrift shop for $1. Because they are done at a low speed & with such a fine grinding drum, the almond flour is so light & fluffy- and none of the oils get processed out of it, like they can with a food processor. I admit I'm not always patient enough to use it, but my compromise is to use the drum grinding attachment for my meat grinder; though it isn't as fine, so I end up sifting it into 'almond flour' and bigger pieces get made into almond butter.

[goodhealthgourmet]

1 cup whole almonds yields approximately 1 1/4 cups meal when ground in a blender or FP...so assuming she's using a meal that has a similar consistency to that, she should use 1 3/4 cups PLUS 2 Tbsp almond flour.

[wolfe]

Take 1/2 cup almonds in food processor, whiz, measure.

[lgss]

Sounds like she doesn't want to go buy almonds if she can just use the almond meal she has, which makes sense.

[wolfe]

From the pictures it appears that almond pieces are scattered over the top of the torte so she should have them around anyway.

[lgss]

Good point. I didn't look at the picture or the recipe...

[wolfe]

I would also ask the OP if she thinks the the freshly crisped almonds from the kitchen she visited would be better than the packaged almond flour which might be past it peak.

[goodhealthgourmet]

actually, i'm guessing she thought this recipe might be a good way to use up the almond meal before it goes off, instead of grinding more. good catch on the whole almonds needed for the recipe, though - i didn't even read it before answering the question.