K.A. grain mill for fine almond meal?

[Edward J]

Been thinking about how to get a finer almond meal for Jaconde and other items,and was wondering if anyone has ever used a K.A grain mill for this purpose.

The mills aren't as popular as other attachments (meat grinder, shredder) but are obtainable.

Anyone ever use one, and if so do they work well?

[Wholemeal Crank]

I can't answer your exact question, but I have played around a bit with nut meals, and my preferred tool for grinding nuts finely for my walnut cookies and pfefferneuse is my rotary grater:

(the rotary grater is on the left)

It makes finer, drier, and more uniform ground nuts than the food processor or blender.

Apologies if this is a duplicate of what you're already doing.

[mostlylana]

Great tip Wholemeal Crank. As you've played around with nuts quite a bit , I'm wondering if you have a proven technique for getting uniform large pieces? Using a larger grater on the rotary unit perhaps?

[dougal]

My understanding is that the grain mill attachments for mixers don't work too well with oily materials - like nuts. And whole almonds may be way too large to get into the 'jaws' of the grinder - these things are designed for grains the size of maize corns and smaller.

Kenwood have long suggested using their rotary grater attachment (slow speed slicer and grater, now "roto food cutter") for nuts. Its basically a mechanised version of the traditional tool http://www.kenwoodworld.com/en/Products/Kitchen-Machines/Attachments/AT643/

They have recently introduced a new 'rasping attachment' (which fits onto their grinder) supposedly for even better grating of nuts and chocolate. http://www.kenwoodworld.com/en/Products/Kitchen-Machines/Attachments/224000/ - I haven't seen one yet.

The Electrolux DLX has long had grain mill, rotary grater and rasping attachments. Pleasant Hill suggest using either of the other two (but not the grain mill) for nuts. http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/magic_mill_dlx_mixer.aspx

[Wholemeal Crank]

I'm wondering if you have a proven technique for getting uniform large pieces? Using a larger grater on the rotary unit perhaps?

I've had a more delicate version of a rotary grater with a larger hole drum, but at that time only wanted the finer grind of the nuts when using them for cookies and cakes, so never tried the larger size for nuts.

For softer nuts--walnuts, pecans--the nut choppers sold in supermarkets etc--the kind with a rotating set of things that stick out from a drum, and push the nuts through narrow openings--give a nice uniform piece 3-4 mm in diameter, but I broke too many of those when using firmer nuts like almonds, and finally tossed out the last one.

For situations where I want the nuts to replace flour (usually 2 parts nut meal for one part flour) I use the rotary grater, and for coarser nuts, chop by hand, and if I really care about the uniformity of the nuts (hardly ever, but it has happened once or twice), I use a knife and then a colander to shake the fines out.

[Wholemeal Crank]

And should have asked--how large do you mean when you say 'larger' pieces?

Edited June 6, 2010 by Wholemeal Crank (log)

[Chris Hennes]

When making Jaconde I generally use an almond meal that is almost the texture of flour (maybe as coarse as graham flour, but no coarser than that). Is that the texture you're going for here?

[qrn]

interesting and timely subject...I just made some almond meal using a very old meat type grinder( the hand cranked type that you clamp to a table/counter..., with a small hole size plate(less than a quater inch.. ground it thru three times and ended up with almost flour like fineness...My mother used to use one like that many years ago...The consistancy was much finer than what I was doing, which was the food processor and then a final trip thru the electric spice/coffee grinder... gonna make some Dutch bitter kookies with it...

Bud

[Wholemeal Crank]

Doesn't that make it damp and sticky? Or can you use that to make dry/light meal?

[qrn]

Doesn't that make it damp and sticky? Or can you use that to make dry/light meal?

no, it seems very dry and light...the almonds were blanched skinless and frozen, I let them sit on the counter,on a rack for an hour or so to thaw and dry, before I ground em...I am going to add sugar syrup and almond emulsion to them and make an almond paste for the cookies..

Bud

[Edward J]

When making Jaconde I generally use an almond meal that is almost the texture of flour (maybe as coarse as graham flour, but no coarser than that). Is that the texture you're going for here?

Yup, that's the consistency. Food processor doesn't get 'em that fine. I do have the meat grinder attachment for the K.A. so I'll give that a try.

[Wholemeal Crank]

Interesting. I've always figured the meat grinder would make them into nutbutter, as the poppyseed mill does.

May have to try that one day, to see if the result could be finer than the rotary grater.

[mostlylana]

And should have asked--how large do you mean when you say 'larger' pieces?

I'm looking to do pieces to include in a chocolate bar - so large enough to crunch. I also do Easter bunnies with choppped nuts and those pieces need to be smaller - but certainly not powdered. I find chopping with a knife gives me so much powder (I do sieve). I have been looking for a way to reduce my 'powder' waste and save time... It's hard to believe there's not a simple solution out there! But I've been poking around for an answer for some time now and nothing has risen to the surface yet. So every time a topic like this comes up I ask again and cross my fingers!

[qrn]

Interesting. I've always figured the meat grinder would make them into nutbutter, as the poppyseed mill does.

May have to try that one day, to see if the result could be finer than the rotary grater.

I put it off for years but it seems good...I remember doing it back in the 50's for my mother when she made the cookies(before food processors etc)

Bud