squishy almonds

[loulee]

So I soaked the almonds I bought overnight and now they've been in the dehydrator for a full 24hrs, but they're still kinda squishy. How long does it take before they are crunchy like a regular nut?

[rawhippie]

Originally Posted by loulee

So I soaked the almonds I bought overnight and now they've been in the dehydrator for a full 24hrs, but they're still kinda squishy. How long does it take before they are crunchy like a regular nut?

first off, it probably would have been best to "sprout" them first, then dehydrate. but it shouldn't take too long. look up a sprouting guide in any/most raw food recipe books
good luck!!!

[Kristen's Raw]

24 hours always works for me.

What kind of dehydrator do you have?
What temperature is it at?
What part of the country do you live in...is it very humid there right now?

Cheers!

[loulee]

I have an old excaliber 4 tray, and I keep it set at around 115.... I live in Austin TX and its not particularly humid here right now, but its not particularly dry either...

Ok, so I'll sprout next time. Will that help with the drying out? I just can't stomach the squishy nuts... I need crunch!

[Kristen's Raw]

Do you have a thermometer to check the temp of your dehydrator? I don't think sprouting will necessarily help with the squishiness of your almonds.

Make sure the temp is accurate by getting a thermometer.

From now on, since you have Excalibur, if you're not already... when you first put something in your dehydrator to dry, set the temp at about 130-140 and let it dry at that temp for 1-2 hours (I usually do it for 1 - 1 1/2). then, drop the temp to 110-115. You don't need to worry about ezymes for that short period of time, because the food is sweating and keeping itself cool despite the temp of the air circulating around the food. There is more info on this on the Excalibur site. But, mainly what happens here is that the dehydrating time is reduced a little and it helps prevent any bacteria type/mold issues.

Hope that helps
Cheers!

[FreshyABC]

Did you rinse and drain the almonds before putting them in the dehydrator? Maybe it is something simple like that.

[greenbunny]

Hey, I'm in Austin too.

I wonder if your almonds were actually raw! Now all almonds from California are going to be flash heated so who knows how those almonds will react. The buyer at Whole Foods said that most almonds are probably already no longer raw.

But all the same squishy is very weird after 24 hours. Did you put the almonds down in a single layer with space inbetween almonds for air flow?

Definitely check your fan and your temperature with a thermometer. Sounds like something is wrong.

Btw, there is no need to sprout almonds nutritionally. Soaking overnight does make them grow just a tiny bit and releases the enzyme inhibitors.

Greenbunny