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Almond meal,almond flour orground almond is made fromground sweetalmonds. Almond flour is usually made with blanched almonds (no skin), whereas almond meal can be made with whole or blanched almonds. The consistency is more likecorn meal thanwheat flour.
It is used inpastry and confectionery – in the manufacture of almondmacarons andmacaroons and other sweet pastries, incake andpie filling, such as AustrianSachertorte – and is one of the two main ingredients ofmarzipan andalmond paste. In France, almond meal is an important ingredient infrangipane, the filling of traditionalgalette des Rois cake.
Almond meal has recently become important in baking items for those onlow-carbohydrate diets. It adds moistness and a rich nutty taste to baked goods. Items baked with almond meal tend to be calorie-dense.
Almonds have high levels ofpolyunsaturated fats. Typically, theomega 6fatty acids in almonds are protected fromoxidation by the surface skin andvitamin E. When almonds are ground, this protective skin is broken and exposed surface area increases dramatically, greatly enhancing the nut's tendency to oxidize.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Ward, Artemas (1911). "Almond meal, almond paste".The Grocer's Encyclopedia. p. 20.
