Some people have been searching for ways to soften hard nuts.

Almonds are some of the hardest nuts on the market, especially when they have been sitting on the store shelves. Other nuts like pistachios, walnuts, pecans, cashews, hazelnuts, and filberts can also be softened for those who have difficulty chewing hard nuts.

Typically, the best way to soften nuts is to soak them in pure water overnight. They won’t get mushy, but they will be a lot softer after eight hours of soaking. This makes them easy to chew as well as easy to incorporate into recipes that require a smoother consistency.

Many people who make Raw Food dishes will soak their nuts overnight and use them in a variety of recipes that would amaze the average person.

Another method for softening nuts is to add them to a snack bar that has a grain like oatmeal and dried fruit along with some liquid sweetener like honey or agave syrup. The nuts will soften when they are blended with the rest of the ingredients and pressed into bars. Chopping them increases the chances for them to soften in a snack bar or dessert.

There are chewy caramels like Wha Guru Chews that use cashews which become soft and pliable. You can find them at most health food stores and co-ops. You can easily make them in your own kitchen. There are many Indian dessert recipes that use nuts which result in a texture like fudge. If you watch the Food Network, look for an episode of Spice Goddess or search for a recipe on their website.

You can also toast or roast nuts and if you add some liquid before putting them in the oven, the nuts will soften as they heat up. Traditionally, spices and maple syrup are used during the holidays to make some tasty nut blends to nibble on before feasting with family and friends.

If you want to use your stove top to toast some nuts, then you can add a liquid sweetener or even a fruit juice like orange juice to serve as a light glaze. Just don’t keep them on high heat too long to prevent them from getting too hard and solidified from the natural sugars in the liquids.

Some people love to grind their hard nuts into nut butter. Peanuts, almonds, cashews, and hazelnuts are ideal for making nut butters. The texture then becomes soft and creamy, especially when you add a little healthy oil while grinding your nuts into butter. Some people put nuts in their ice cream which will soften them and add a little crunch to the smooth texture of dessert.

The way you store your nuts will also determine whether they harden or stay viable. Some people will put a slice of dried apple into a paper bag for a few days to soften their nuts as long as the dried fruit is not bone dry. If you freeze your nuts, don’t leave them in the freezer for long, because they will lose moisture over time. Nuts are best stored in the pantry in an air-tight container, so they don’t go rancid. Buy only enough at any one time to last for a few days to a week, then replenish your supply.

If you want a great source for fresh organic nuts that are soft and delicious, then you can visit the Braga Nut Company for a number of varieties of nuts you’ll love. They won’t last long when they are fresh and organic. The texture, flavor, and taste is so much better, you’ll be amazed!

Braga Organic Farms Inc

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 11th, 2011 at 4:44 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.