Marcona Almond Butter

I had never heard of Marcona almonds before I tasted them a few months ago while tasting wine at the Paraduxx Winery in Napa, CA.  They were served with cheese and dried fruit along with the wine selection.  I loved the rich, sweet buttery flavor of these unique almonds, so I had to search for them as we hit a few other wineries and gourmet shops that day.  I found them at the Oxbow Public Market in Napa and took some home to try in a nut butter.

I had been looking for almonds without skins that were also roasted and salted.  Trader Joe’s used to sell them, but I hadn’t seen them there in months.  So, finding the Marcona variety which comes from Spain was a real find for me.  I’ve since learned that they are fast becoming popular in the US and can be found in most specialty markets.  I recently found them at Costco for around $ 8.00 for a 17.63 ounce  container.  I’ve also learned that almond butter is a slightly healthier alternative to peanut butter, especially for people with peanut allergies.

When I made the first batch of Marcona butter in the food processor, I thought it needed just a touch of sweetener to balance the salt and butter taste.  I thought of honey, but also realized I had some maple syrup in the cupboard.  I tried just a teaspoon of the syrup in the butter and thought it was wonderful.  It added just the right amount of sweetness that brought out the true flavor of the Marconas.

Marcona Almond Butter

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Ingredients

• 1 Pound Marcona Almonds
• 1 Teaspoon Maple Syrup

Directions

Place almonds in food processor and start processor. Initially the almonds will be dry but as the almonds release their oil they will come together.
After about two and a half minutes the almonds will form a ball. Let the food processor continue to run. The ball will eventually turn into a creamy consistency.
As more oil is released the almonds will become creamy. The almond butter is done when it gets a shiny surface and has a looser texture then regular almond butter. This will take between 5 and 8 minutes. If you would like to add maple syrup now is the time, add maple syrup and pulse a few times. It will thicken into a creamy almond butter between 24 and 48 hours in the refrigerator.
Place almond butter in airtight container and store in refrigerator. Allow 24 - 48 hours for almond butter to thicken.