If you want to make your nut flour baked goods easier to digest, you’ll want to learn how to ferment nut flour.
How to ferment nut flour
Nuts and seeds are some of the most difficult things to digest. To help with this, many people on GAPS choose to ferment their nut flours before baking.
Fermenting nut flours also makes for amazingly fluffy baked goods that will look and taste similar to wheat flour. Once you do it once, you will wonder why you haven’t been doing it for longer!
I love this simple upgrade to my nut flour and I am convinced that you will, too.
Ready to learn how to ferment nut flour in just a few minutes? Keep reading…
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Benefits of fermenting nut flour
Even on the GAPS diet, there are some occasions where it is important for you and your family to have baked goods. When it is someone’s birthday and you need a cake, having the ability to add in healthy flour is important.
Almond flour is the most popular flour alternative, but hazel nuts and seeds like sunflower seeds will work well, too. Here are a few reasons why I love to always ferment nut and seed flour:
- When I am baking with fermented nut flour, I have noticed that it makes a much fluffier baked good compared to when I use an unfermented flour.
- If you ferment your nut flour, it is much easier to digest. When that happens, the amount of nutritional absorption increases and your body has less work to do.
- This fermented almond flour is approved for the GAPS diet. So whether you are baking a cake or some other delicious baked good, everyone can enjoy this recipe.
It is so easy to make and ferment for more nutritional benefits. Keep reading to learn how…
How to ferment nuts
Fermenting your nut flour can start by fermenting the whole nuts, or fermenting the flour after the nuts are ground.
When fermenting whole nuts, it does take some time but the benefits are worth it! Check out how I ferment nuts in this video here or follow the directions below.
Take whole, raw almonds into a bowl and add some whey. Submerge in water. Cover with a towel and let sit for anywhere between 12-48 hours.
Strain them then dry them. Place them on a baking sheet in a thin layer and place in a dehydrator or in the oven on the lowest heat it will go (around 170 degrees is what mine goes to). Check on them periodically until the nuts are completely dry.
This should take around 8 hours but the crispy almonds are worth it – I promise!
When making this GAPS approved almond flour , all you need to do is take the fermented nuts and blend them into a flour consistency. Keep reading for how to ferment already ground nut flour…
How to make fermented nut flour
Use this process to make your own nut flour and ferment it. You can also use this process to ferment purchased nut flour that is already ground.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
- Place nuts into a food processor (high powered blender would work as well, like a Blendtec or Vitamix).
- Process until a flour consistency. Be sure to not over blend or it can turn into nut butter.
- Place nut flour into bowl
- Add in yogurt (or alternatives) and stir until well coated – you’re looking for a cookie dough like consistency.
- Cover with a cloth towel and let sit for 12 hours to several days in a warm place.
Nut flour variations
The reason you want to try and make your own almond flour is because nut flour will go rancid fairly quickly. Once the nuts are blended, this process can happen even faster.
With almond flour found at the stores, there is no guarantee for how long ago the nuts were blended. This means that the nut flours is likely already rancid, and the nutritional value of the almonds won’t be present in your food. This is important for any meal, but especially when you are focusing on nourishing your body on the GAPS diet.
If you are looking for a different type of nut flour besides almond flour, you are in luck! There are several nuts that can be used in this recipe to make a fermented nut flour.
Some of the nut flour variations that you can use instead of almond flour are:
- Chestnut
- Hazelnut
- Macadamia
- Pecans
- Walnut
If you want to make nut flour using any of these nut alternatives, simply replace with almonds and blend to make your flour. Keep in mind that almond is the most traditional nut flour because of its low taste profile.
Keep scrolling to learn the ins and outs to making high quality, nutrient dense fermented nut flour…
How long does it take to ferment nut flour?
To make a nut flour that is fermented, the process to assemble everything only takes a few minutes. From blending the fermented almonds to adding in the fermenting agent (like yogurt, kefir, or whey), you only need to stir for about 5 minutes.
The next part is easy, but it can take a few extra hours to days, depending on how long you want it to sit. The minimum of hours that almond flour needs to ferment is 12 hours, but if you can let it sit for a few days then it can create some amazingly healthy bacteria for your digestive tract. Also, the longer nut flour ferments, the fluffier the baked goods will be.
At the very least, I will let my almond flour ferment overnight before I use it in some bread for the week or a cake at a birthday party. If I can plan ahead, I like to let it sit for a day or two on the counter to really help my digestive system work its best, and make the fluffiest recipes.
How does fermented nut flour work?
Fermented nut flour works in a way similar to baking soda or baking powder where it increases the amount of oxygen in the batter or baked goods when it is baked. This helps give anything that you cook a really nice rise.
Fermentation also breaks down the nuts so that they are “predigested” and much easier for the body to digest. It also unlocks nutrients and makes them more bioavailable.
For my family members who are not on GAPS, I like to add in fermented sourdough in just about any recipe that requires flour. This can be anything from a loaf of sandwich bread for the week to homemade tortillas on taco Tuesday.
How long does fermented nut flour last?
Once the flour is done fermenting, it can be stored for up to a week in the fridge.
I oftentimes will start the process a week before I need the fermented flour to bake with. That way, the blended almonds have enough time to ferment on my countertop and I can bake fully confident in my flour.
Now that you know how long fermented nut flour can last, keep reading to learn how to store it for the entire week of baking…
How to store fermented nut flour properly?
It is important to remember that while the flour is fermenting that the flour is stored in a warm, dry place. I prefer my countertop covered with a kitchen towel.
Ideally, I am ready to bake as soon as it is done fermenting. If I’m not quite ready to use it, I will transfer the fermented nut flour to a glass container with a lid until I am ready to use it.
More GAPS baking recipes
Have you ever tried fermenting nut flour?
How did you like it? Share in the comments!
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How to Ferment Nut Flour
If you want to make your nut flour baked goods easier to digest, you'll want to learn how to ferment nut flour.
Ingredients
- 2 cups almonds or other nuts
- Yogurt/kefir/whey (enough to coat the blended nuts)
Instructions
- Place nuts into a food processor (high powered blender would work as well, like a Blendtec or Vitamix).
- Process until a flour consistency. Be sure to not over blend or it can turn into nut butter.
- Place nut flour into bowl
- Add in yogurt (or alternatives) and stir until well coated - you're looking for a cookie dough like consistency.
- Cover with a cloth towel and let sit for 12 hours to several days in a warm place.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 402Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 229mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 19g
The information in this blog post is my personal experience and opinion. It is for general information purposes only, that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own physician’s medical care or advice. Always seek advice from your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding nutrition, medical conditions, and advice. Never disregard medical advice or delay seeking medical care because of something you have read on this blog.
