nut butter + light
March 8, 2011 For the next few weeks, I’m realizing I shouldn’t tell you to expect a recipe or post at a certain time. Things are going to come up, everyday, at any given time. That happened today and will happen for the next month. I’ll get my nightly posts done, but the afternoon posts will be a whenever-it-makes-sense type of thing.
I swear, all of these house happenings are like trying to plan a wedding in 3 weeks. It’s a full time job! Finalizing the IKEA kitchen took the brunt of the day, and I also had to meet a few people at the house for quotes. Tomorrow is packed full again! I’m hoping to make a big dent in the ordering: windows/IKEA kitchen + house furniture/Sears appliances
I’ve been holding out on you for a few days now.
My apologies.
Let me introduce you to chocolate chip cookie dough almond butter’s evil twin.
Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Almond Butter
Oh.my.
If you couldn’t tell, I’ve been playing around with light in the past few food posts I’ve put up. It’s been so much fun to play! My favorite discovery has been photographing with back-lit light. It doesn’t always look the best, but something it just really works.
This however, is a photo with the light coming in from the right and no light bounce in use. I love the shadow that the bowls cast.
This is light coming from the right, with a light bounce. It definitely lightens up the left side of the nut butter, but also takes away the shadow. I prefer the previous photo. I feel like it has more character.
This is back-lit. I still prefer the light coming from the right side with no light bounce.
This is back-lit with a light bounce that was placed in front of the table.
me –>light bounce –> table + food <- light coming in the door
Make sense? You can see a bit of the light being thrown back on the nut butter, in comparison with the darker photo above.
Original cookie dough AB, front + center! The only change to the new nut butter is the addition of cocoa and depending on your taste buds, you might want to add a touch more sugar.
Light from right, no light bounce.
I’m really digging the no-light-bounce photos all of a sudden! Sometimes the light bounce is really helpful, especially in the early morning, when there isn’t a lot of light coming in the window. It helps bounce whatever light there is, back onto the food. This study has made me realize I should evaluate every time I take a photo, if it is better with or without. Previously, I would use it with almost every photo, without even thinking.
Light from right, with light bounce.
Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Almond Butter
- 2c raw almonds
- 2-3t pure cane sugar
- 2-3t safflower oil [not always necessary, but neutral flavor oil works best to keep the cookie dough flavor]
- 1/4t salt
- 2t vanilla bean paste [or extract]
- 2T unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2t almond extract [key ingredient!!!]
- 1/2c coarsely chopped dark chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Toast almonds until golden brown, turning 3-4 times, for about 10-15min total. Watch carefully, so they don’t burn.
- Let cool 5min.
- Place in a heavy-duty food processor and turn on, scraping the bowl often to keep things moving.
- Process until it finally starts to butterize. This took about 6-10min, approximately.
- Keep scraping and processing until smooth. Be patient. *If it’s been 10min and things still aren’t together, add 2t oil.
- Add in 2t sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract. Process again until smooth.
- Add in cocoa powder. Process again until smooth, scraping the bottom of the bowl + sides as needed. *It might be necessary to add another 1t of oil. The cocoa powder will thicken things up a bit.
- Taste and add more sugar if it’s not sweet enough, but remember the chopped chocolate will add a bit of sweetness as well.
- Once it’s nice and smooth, like the photo I show above in the food processor, empty into a bowl and put in the fridge for about 1hr, until room temperature. The processed nut butter will likely be very warm. If you mix the chocolate chips in at this point, they will melt.
- Once the nut butter has come to room temp, stir in the chocolate chips.
Taste tests are encouraged!
*Almond butter is the hardest to process into nut butter, so be patient. I have an 11c Cuisinart food processor. If you have a 7c, I would suggest cutting this recipe in half or at least by 1/4. If using an 11c, do not increase the size of this recipe, for best results.
*I recommend using pure cane sugar, instead of a liquid sweetener like honey or maple here, because 1 – I didn’t want a honey/maple flavor 2 – They tend to make the nut butters extremely thick and sometimes turns it into a nasty thick dough. The cane sugar combined perfectly.
*I’m keeping this nut butter in a glass jar on the counter. I only refrigerate my nut butters with ground flax. They’re usually only around for about 3 weeks before I finish them off, so I don’t find it necessary to refrigerate. I’m not sure what food safety protocol technically is in this manner…but I’m still alive! I keep them in the cupboard, but you definitely can store them in the fridge.
Can you taste it??? I’ve been combining half of one, half of the other, on my morning breakfasts.
Deeelightful!
Amidst all the running around today, I had to get in a good lunch. I had a can of Amy’s split pea soup, but the flavor is pretty “meh” to me. I dumped it in a pot on the stove, and added some mix-ins. Great way to spruce up canned soup!
- cayenne
- garlic
- salt
- pepper
- smoked paprika
Topped with pepitas, with carrots + a toasted English muffin for dipping! That is an Ezekiel sprouted English muffin, which I love. mm mmm mmm
A few of you have asked about the gluten reintroduction. I’ll be posting more on that after the 2 week reintro period is over, which is next week. Gluten is definitely part/most of the problem! I’m still testing out different types though. We shall see!
Delicious lunch, then back to work!
Sneak peak! This modeling program is terribly annoying to work with!!
Our floors are being sanded down bright + early tomorrow. They’ll be all finished in 2 short days and then it’s on to painting!
Snooze time!
Ashley
Reader Comments (70)
Even though it's a lot of work/time consuming it looks like things are going really well with the house! :)
Also, thanks for all the light info. I've been playing more with it, too.
So grateful I was able to score an 11 cup processor on Craigslist so I can make your nut butters with reckless abandon! :)
oooh.. I usually prefer to make up my own combos than steal nut butter ideas from blogs, but I might have to make an exception for those two. They look amazingly good!
Yes, they really are. Today was just particularly stressful with IKEA. They haven't been too attentive!
I'm so glad you were too!
Oops, I responded to the wrong comment. ;) This is a must make along with my maple cinnamon almond butter!!
Yes, they really are. Today was just particularly stressful with IKEA. They haven’t been too attentive!
Oooh, can't wait to get home from uni this weekend to my food processor to try this out :) (I like the photo with the right light and no bounce best I think..I like the shadowy left hand side.
that's just cruel and unusual punishment to post THAT MANY pics of that glorious raw cookie dough meets nutbutter meets chocolate creation. Gah!! I want it NOW!!
:)
You are so creative! What a great and yummy sounding recipe!
delicious looking almond butter!
Thanks for showing all the different photos, too -- it's helping me a lot to see the differences in light.
Now I'm hungry :)
I totally understand. I feel like my life is going in so many different directions right now with the move. Hang in there girl, it's all going to be worth it. ;)
You are an all-star with these nut butter recipes! You are making me regret stocking up on peanut butter and almond butter recently because I want to try all of your recipes!
Remodeling is like running a non stop marathon! Looks like you guys are making progress quickly!
The new almond butter looks so good!! If you ever start selling these I'm going to be purchasing each one :) Or I could just follow your recipes and make them myself...
Looks delicious. Good luck with the house stuff!!
xo
The nut butters look insanely good! I love playing with my light sources. I take so many pictures every time I photograph things, just so I can play with it.
oh man. seriously. please send some stat...i need it!
Oh heavens--I want to dive into that bowl of nut butter!
I can't wait to try the nut butter. I love choc chip cookie anything. I'm imagining dipping apple slices in it.
I would love to have time to drive to boulder!! :)
Me too! :)
Oh.my.goodness....is it okay to say that I'm now in love with you? I've been craving chocolate all morning, and then you go and throw this recipe out? Yep, it's official, I heart you.
Off to make a batch! :-)
Those nut butters look amazing! Do you think it would still turn out without roasting the nuts? And swapping cane sugar for stevia?
Those nut butters look awesome I want to make them both, kitchen looks great cant wait to see how it turns out.
SUCH good light info! You are the photography queen...AND the nut butter queen!! :)
you are KILLING me with these nut butters!
I am so sad that we don't have a food processor.
Smoke paprika in split pea soup is my favorite!
Eventhough it's crazy busy right now once all the house remodeling is done you'll be so happy! Plus it's fun to look back on big projects like that.
Another yummy creation! A must make!
Aw, you are too kind! :)
Stevia should work, I would think. It's a lot harder to butterize nut butter, especially almond butter w/o roasting the nuts...but it is doable. I made a completely raw/plain almond butter a month or 2 ago, but when you start adding in things like cocoa, it will really thicken it up and not be smooth.
Yes, it is quite alright. :)
I know!! When you're trying to save money and do 80% of everything on your own it makes it SO much harder! :)
Oh man, deliciousness!! Do you prefer one over another?? They both sound amazingggg.
It's been over a month since I made my own nut butter and your recipes make me want to whip up a batch right this second! I hope I have some free time this weekend to make some.
I LOVE all your recipes! :)
WOW, that nut butter looks AMAZING. I'll have to flag it to try when I run out of my PB stock.
Mmmm, those photos of the nut butters look mouthwatering! When I did my "homework" assignment this weekend, I found that I really like the pictures lit from the right without a light bounce also. Like you said, the shadow adds character to the picture.
Good luck with all the house planning. You're going to be so thrilled with the results of all your hard work, once it's done!
I like how the photos with bounced light turned out. Gotta give this a try :)
Hmmm..not really!!! haha
Thanks Lisa!!
It feels a lot like wedding planning...we did a TON of the wedding things ourselves [invites, decorations, etc] to make things cheaper. It makes it a LOT harder and more stressful but worth it in the end.
I don't think you understand. I am ob SESSED with almond extract. It makes everything taste like marzipan!:)
Chocolate chip cookie dough nut butter!!! WAHHHHH! I want some now! lol.
Hope the kitchen hap's come together soon for you. Those things are such a PITA I swear!
Don't stress about getting blogging done. I totally know where you're coming from. Often when I'm super busy and have a lot going on, my mind will wander to blogging and not being a good enough blogger. Life is life, and it happens! Get you crazy home stuff done, then you can play and enjoy. You've put in so much amazing work into your lovely blog, so no need to worry!
Have a lovely day, Ash!
I wish I could come help you paint! I'm an expert taper!
Can you show us what you use for light bouncing? Is it still a paper towel or a white board or ??
Also, I made some of this choc chip nut butter and it was awesome. I blended in my chocolate chips and it made it kind of like the cocoa version you showed today. It's sooo delicious!
Have fun with the house projects! How long have you guys been saving for the house? Seems like such a huge goal to work toward!!
now i want some nut butter. you may have said this before in your paper towel bounce post maybe.. but what do you typically use for your bounce? and how do you get it to stay propped up--do you have like a teepee shaped posterboard or something? would love if you took a photo of the actual setup you use.. table, door, bounce and all. although i love those paintshop drawings!
XOXO
that nut butter looks seriously amazing!!!
Thank you for the tutorials! Guess what Ash! (i'm the one that asked about dslr on your photo page) I got a Canon 20D used, for $300!! 0_0 I know what a crazy blessing. And it's been soooooooo fun to play around with it! I just have to be careful to not spend too much time on it! haha. And that back lit photo is definitely really nice~it just looks so much more realistic than nothing at all. Although, I don't know if professionals would agree with this statement, but I feel like there isn't really a SET way of taking photos. Just what looks good, is the right way? Granted, there are rules of thumb I'm sure. :D anyway, thanks!
I love spicing up canned soups and even homemade soups with any spices I can find!
Last time I made lentil soup for lunches at work I would take a super-tiny Tupperware of red pepper flakes, sea salt, paprika, etc to stir in. It tastes so much better when it's freshly stirred in :)
Jessica