Toasted Sliced Almonds for Gourmet Side Dishes And Desserts
Oven Toasted Sliced Almonds
Toasted sliced almonds are a fantastic garnish for vegetable side dishes and salads. They also pair well with ice cream desserts and add to the flavor and appearance of cakes and pastries. They enhance the presentation of food and add savory flavor. You can easily and quickly turn your sliced almonds into toasted almonds. Toasting almonds in the oven brings out their flavors. When lightly toasted, the nuts develop a deep flavor complexity, a pleasing appearance, and a crisp texture.
Sliced Almonds Toasted in The Oven
You can use two methods to oven toast almonds: one at a higher temperature and quickly, and the other at a lower temperature and more slowly. The first approach at a higher oven temperature is to use just sliced almonds. The second method uses lower temperature and slower cooking, where walnut oil is used to toss the almond slices before cooking. Lower heat is used so as not to cause bitterness in the walnut oil. If the walnut oil is heated too high, it can become off-flavored. The walnut oil toasted almond slices have an extra complexity of flavor. I find these particularly well suited for dessert recipes.
Selecting Almonds for Toasting
Use raw sliced almonds; the dark skin will still be intact. Don’t use slivered almonds. As for garnish, thin-sliced almonds with dark skins have a better appearance, are crisper, and are more flavorful when toasted.
Method One - High Heat - Oven Toasting Sliced Almonds - Recipe
Measure out 1 cup of sliced almonds.
Line a rimmed half-size sheet pan with parchment.
Evenly spread-out sliced almonds on the parchment.
With your oven preheated to 400°F, cook for 6-8 minutes.
Let the sliced almonds cool before using or storing.
I typically check the progress of the toasting process at 6 minutes to see if the almond slices are becoming lightly browned. If they are not browning, extend the toasting time by 1 to 2 minutes.
Toasted almonds pair well with asparagus side dishes. You can try these toasted sliced almonds on vegetables using my asparagus recipe.
Method Two - Lower Heat -Oven Toasting Sliced Almonds Tossed In Walnut Oil - Recipe
Put 1 cup of sliced almonds into a mixing bowl, add 2 tbsp walnut oil, and toss to coat the slices
Line a rimmed half-size sheet pan with parchment paper.
Evenly spread out the walnut oil-coated almond slices on the parchment.
With your oven preheated to 300°F, cook the almonds for 10-12 minutes.
Let the toasted almond slices cool before using or storing them. You can store them in a zip-loc bag in the freezer.
Try these walnut oil toasted almonds as an ice cream mix-in to create a simple gourmet dessert ice cream with crunchy almond flakes.
Gourmet Walnut Oil Toasted Almond Ice Cream Dessert - Recipe
When looking for a simple gourmet dessert, almond slices toasted with walnut oil as a mix-in for ice cream can be unique and satisfying for your guests. Using French vanilla ice cream as a base, you can create a simple gourmet ice cream dessert or use it as an ingredient for other desserts. The toasted almonds can easily be mixed into ice cream with a food processor, creating a smooth, delightful dessert. Toasting almond slices coated in walnut oil adds a depth of flavor. The almond and walnut flavors pair well with the French Vanilla ice cream.
The texture is soft, creamy, and smooth when served immediately after mixing in the food processor. However, you have limited time to prepare and serve it, so it does not become too melted. You can make the walnut oil toasted almond slices ahead of time and store them in the freezer.
Instructions - Walnut Oil Toasted Almond Ice Cream- Recipe
Prepare 1 cup of almond slices that have been toasted with walnut oil.
Add the frozen toasted almond slices into the food processor. The almond slices will chop and flake better when frozen. Pulse the food processor a few times in the chop mode to create small almond flake-like pieces.
Remove the flaked almond slices from the food processor into a bowl.
Using a quart of French vanilla ice Cream, add about half to the food processor and pulse several times to soften and cream it.
Add half the toasted almonds and pulse a few times to combine.
Add the remaining ice cream and the sliced almond flakes.
Run the food processor for about 45-90 seconds, occasionally using a rubber spatula to scrape the food processor container sides as needed. Pay attention to the texture. The ice cream should have the almond flakes evenly distributed throughout.
Immediately distribute the ice cream into about 4-6 small serving cups.
Serve your ice cream immediately, as maintaining the right consistency is time limited. If needed, temporarily store your servings in the freezer.
French Vanilla ice cream dessert with walnut oil toasted sliced almonds.
Sliced almonds tossed in walnut oil ready for oven toasting.
Walnut oil toasted sliced almonds, food processor flaked ready for making an ice cream dessert.
