Nut Butter Failures
cryptobrit
Posts: 200 Member
in Recipes
Has anyone made nut butter successfully? I keep reading how easy it is to make and if it doesn't come together properly to add a little oil. All I get is a bread crumb consistency. I did the soak and dry process first as well. In total I had the magimix on for about an hour. I tried running it for 15 mins at a time and then when I left it on continual, it cut out when overheating. There is a cup of almonds and it ended up with 3 teaspoons of olive oil which to me is more than enough. According to all the recipes I have read it should take 12-15 mins with at most a teaspoon of added oil. I keep reading how the natural oils will eventually surface to enable the nuts to break down. This just is not happening. The last time I tried I ended up just mushing the 'breadcrumbs' together which was nothing like in the recipes. Any idea why it isn't working for me?
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Replies
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Roast the nuts at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes, rotate the pan halfway through roasting, to ensure for even cooking. Place the nuts into the food processor or heavy duty blender, pulse the nuts for a few seconds and then scrape the sides with a rubber spatula. Then turn the machine on and let it run for a minute or two. This should begin to produce a powder looking substance, turn off the machine and scrape the sides and bottom with the rubber spatula. Repeat these steps and after about 6 or 8 minutes of blending and scraping the powdery looking substance should begin to liquify and start to resemble nut butter.
If you let your machine run too long and it overheats it is putting out too much heat and evaporating the oils the nuts are releasing which may be a reason that your butter did not come out properly. Remember slow and steady wins the race, to blend, and scrape, blend, and scrape and be patient.0 -
Hi
Isn't a Magimix a food processor? I've read that slightly warmed up/toasted almonds or nuts make the process go quicker. Also, I have never needed to add oil to the butters I make? Very strange.1 -
I make them all the time, never a fail.
Use a food processor. Run it couple minutes at a time, scrape, run, scrape and eventually it will become goo. Takes me maybe 10 minutes to make couple cups of nut butter.
I do the same and have never had a problem. I do not add any oil or anything else with the except of a pinch of salt.0 -
Thanks for your input everyone but I have tried all these methods in my FOOD PROCESSOR. The only reason I let it run for so long was desperation because the stop start method was not working. I have tried several times both in the main unit and also with the mini bowl. As vegmebuff has said, I too had read about the warmth bringing out the oils. Despite telling hubby I wasn't doing any more, I am wondering whether to try without the soaking and drying out. As I buy organic nuts and don't have a problem with nuts and digestion I can't see the harm. What do you think?0
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Roast the nuts at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes, rotate the pan halfway through roasting, to ensure for even cooking. Place the nuts into the food processor or heavy duty blender, pulse the nuts for a few seconds and then scrape the sides with a rubber spatula. Then turn the machine on and let it run for a minute or two. This should begin to produce a powder looking substance, turn off the machine and scrape the sides and bottom with the rubber spatula. Repeat these steps and after about 6 or 8 minutes of blending and scraping the powdery looking substance should begin to liquify and start to resemble nut butter.
If you let your machine run too long and it overheats it is putting out too much heat and evaporating the oils the nuts are releasing which may be a reason that your butter did not come out properly. Remember slow and steady wins the race, to blend, and scrape, blend, and scrape and be patient.
See above mweckler. Have done all this with varying degrees of timings and every time with the almonds it is the same. I have had limited success with walnuts and macadamia but still had to add oil and it was ultra grainy0 -
The roasting of the nuts prior to blending actually coaxes out more flavor and allow the oils to be drawn out easier. The other problem could be, that your processor is not strong enough, or it does not have a powerful enough motor to truly blend and break it down all the way. If this is something you want to do on a regular basis you may need to upgrade your equipment to be able to handle this task.2
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For me I use professional industrial equipment at my work for this sort of things, and also for my home I when I cater or bake for people through my at home catering business, I make sure my equipment can handle most anything I need to throw at it. I found that the Ninja system is pretty good for everything I need to do at my house. It is strong with a good amount or horsepower and unlike Vitamix it will not cost $600, I am not saying not to buy a Vitamix but for me that is outside of my price range.0
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I was going to say the blade in your processor might just not work for it but notice above says about your processor as well.0
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mweckler. The magimix is well known for being one of the better 'heavy duty' brands, and I only bought it a short while ago. I also have the Ninja Auto IQ which has been brilliant for smoothies, soups etc. I have read that some make nut butters in their blenders, but I should imagine 1: you would have to make a lot of it. 2: it would be murder to get it all out and clean it properly :-). I am going to try an experiment, call me foolish if you wish. I am going to try some macadamia nuts in the processor 'as is' - no soaking, no roasting, and see what happens. At worst if it fails I will pop the results in the Ninja with water to make some delicious macadamia milk.0
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I fill the magimix up with nuts and just grind away until its nut butter. I do almond, peanut, and hazelnut. With almonds I have to add the hazelnuts or its too dry. I suggest mor nuts in the magi and mor time grinding!1
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I don't soak etc. I roast the nuts, havent had a problem as soon as the oil starts escaping from the nuts its a short time until it turns to butter.0
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I'd like to say I make my own nut butters, but there is an amish farmer's market right down the street that roasts and grinds the nuts while you wait...for like $3. And they do like every kind a nut you could want. mmm...their almond butter is so good. Why do I have to be allergic to almonds?0
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More than 90% of my food is organic, nuts being one of the exceptions. I found that I have no luck with organic nuts. I am not sure how well they are stored and how long they've been sitting on the shelf but they are always pretty dry and some of them tend to taste slightly rancid. Maybe trying nuts bought in a regular supermarket might make a difference.1
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I used whole unsalted almonds. I processed until a coarse meal then scraped the sides then I added walnut oil, salt and sugar if adding. I continued to process. It took me about 30 minutes starting and stopping to scrape down the sides the first time I made it. But I have made 2 more batches and it seems like it took less time. I used about 2 cups almond and 2 Tbsp walnut oil. The most difficult part is having patience and faith that those little almonds will turn into butter. First it looks like sand spinning around. Then it starts to climb the side of the processor bowl. Then it starts to clump into a dough. Then it starts to spin like a top, real slow around the bowl. Then after all that, it smooths out and looks just right.0
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Just had a brilliant success
My experiment with the macadamia nuts has paid off. No roasting, no soaking, just thrown in, pulsed and then was ready in 4-5 minutes with a couple of stops to 'spatulate down.' (new word I think). I added a little honey and it is heaven on toast.
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Utopia! Now I want some1
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SleeplessinBerlin wrote: »More than 90% of my food is organic, nuts being one of the exceptions. I found that I have no luck with organic nuts. I am not sure how well they are stored and how long they've been sitting on the shelf but they are always pretty dry and some of them tend to taste slightly rancid. Maybe trying nuts bought in a regular supermarket might make a difference.
That is interesting as these nuts were 'off the shelf' this time and not organic. I will have to buy some organic Macadamia and process them exactly the same to see if there is any difference. Also possibly buy some more of the 'ordinary' ones and try roasting them first before processing and see if they still grind down the same.0 -
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I've made almond, cashew and macadamia nut butter in a food processor many times with no oil and have never had a problem. I've heard that you should never add oil or water. Maybe your blade is dull.0
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rhapsodygal wrote: »I've made almond, cashew and macadamia nut butter in a food processor many times with no oil and have never had a problem. I've heard that you should never add oil or water. Maybe your blade is dull.
Did you not read my processor is a Magimix and I have only recently bought it?0 -
cryptobrit wrote: »rhapsodygal wrote: »I've made almond, cashew and macadamia nut butter in a food processor many times with no oil and have never had a problem. I've heard that you should never add oil or water. Maybe your blade is dull.
Did you not read my processor is a Magimix and I have only recently bought it?cryptobrit wrote: »rhapsodygal wrote: »I've made almond, cashew and macadamia nut butter in a food processor many times with no oil and have never had a problem. I've heard that you should never add oil or water. Maybe your blade is dull.
Did you not read my processor is a Magimix and I have only recently bought it?
Yes I did but it could still be dull
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I know adding water to nut butters can mess them up, but I've never heard of it being an issue with oils.rhapsodygal wrote: »I've made almond, cashew and macadamia nut butter in a food processor many times with no oil and have never had a problem. I've heard that you should never add oil or water. Maybe your blade is dull.
I mostly make different flavors of nut butters with preroasted peanuts because they're cheap. This is my food processor, haven't had any issues.
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rhapsodygal wrote: »
Did you not read my processor is a Magimix and I have only recently bought it?
Yes I did but it could still be dull
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I had only used it about 5 times rhapsodygal. It was a replacement for the micro version I had as I couldn't hold the button down for more than a few seconds. The few things I have done in this version has been superb. As almonds are harder than macadamias, I intend to do the same experiment as the macadamias (no roasting or soaking) and I will let you know if there is any change.
The interesting thing I find is that there is a lot of talk about phytic acid and how bad it is. Our older relatives and ancestors never bothered soaking and roasting so why all the sudden need? Am I missing something?0 -
CooCooPuff wrote: »
I know adding water to nut butters can mess them up, but I've never heard of it being an issue with oils.rhapsodygal wrote: »I've made almond, cashew and macadamia nut butter in a food processor many times with no oil and have never had a problem. I've heard that you should never add oil or water. Maybe your blade is dull.
I mostly make different flavors of nut butters with preroasted peanuts because they're cheap. This is my food processor, haven't had any issues.
I never knew Black & Decker made them. I've learnt something there0
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