Ground Almonds, 500g

Our Ground Almonds are one of those quiet kitchen heroes - the kind of ingredient that turns up in everything from a proper frangipane tart to a Moroccan tagine, and elevates every one of them. Blanched, finely milled and packed by us, they have that pale, biscuity colour and soft, sandy texture that tells you they've been ground from good kernels rather than scraps. You get a clean, gently sweet almond flavour with a hint of marzipan - exactly what you want for baking and a brilliant base for sauces, crusts and crumbles.

A storecupboard essential for anyone who bakes regularly, and a real friend to gluten-free cooks. Fold them into Victoria sponges and lemon drizzles for a softer, moister crumb, use them as the body of frangipane tarts, macarons, financiers and Bakewells, or rub them into shortbread and crumble toppings for extra richness. Beyond baking, a couple of spoonfuls thicken and enrich a chicken korma or a Moroccan lamb tagine beautifully, and they make a lovely coating for fishcakes or chicken goujons. A pack of these in the cupboard and you're always five minutes away from something good.

Recipes to try using this ingredient:

Apricot Frangipane Tart

Why we love it:

• Made from blanched almonds, finely milled for a soft, even texture - no gritty bits
• Pale, biscuity colour and a clean, sweet almond flavour that bakes beautifully
  
• Naturally gluten-free, so a brilliant flour replacement in cakes, biscuits and pastry
  
• A genuine multi-tasker - works as hard in a curry or tagine as it does in a tart
  
• Packed here at Somerset Foodie HQ in resealable bags, so what you don't use stays fresh
  

How to use:

• For a classic frangipane, cream 100g butter with 100g caster sugar, beat in 2 eggs, then fold in 150g ground almonds and 75g plain flour. Spread into a blind-baked pastry case, top with fruit and bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until golden and just set.
• In cakes and loaves, swap up to a third of the plain flour for ground almonds to add moisture, richness and a tender crumb.
• For a korma or mild curry, stir 2-3 tablespoons into the sauce in the last few minutes of cooking to thicken and enrich it.
• Mix with breadcrumbs and herbs for a gluten-free coating for fishcakes, goujons or schnitzel.

More information:

• Sourced and packed by us here at Somerset Foodie
  
• Suitable for vegetarians, vegans and gluten-free diets
  
• Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Reseal the bag after opening, or decant into an airtight jar.
• Allergens: ALMONDS (nuts). Packed in a facility that also handles other nuts, peanuts, sesame, gluten
• Ingredients: Blanched ground almonds (100%).