I realized as I was making these Almond Squares , or “Badam Burfi” as they are known in India, that I really didn’t know much about almonds. They taste great and come packaged nicely in the store and I completely take them for granted. Do they grow on trees, do they have hard shells, when do they grow, where do they grow? I did a little research on the internet and found some great information on the website of the Almond Board of California. Take a look when you get a chance.

In a nutshell (pun intended), the trees bloom between February – March, the almonds mature and shells harden March – June, the shells crack open July – August, and finally the almonds are harvested and shelled August – October. A lot happens by the time we get to enjoy them at home.

Almonds are highly valued in India. Many years ago, we used to always take almonds to extended family in India during our visits. I am sure times have changed but back then, the quality and prices were definitely better in the US. Interestingly, the Almond Board website points out that 70% of California almonds are exported internationally.

While almonds are important in India, sweets made with almonds are the ultimate indulgence.

I have a lot of memories growing up of my mom making many almond based sweets. These almond squares always started with a long process of soaking the almonds, removing their skins, letting them dry and grinding into a flour. Though they tasted great, I never liked the long process to get to the end product (even though my mom was the one doing all the work). Nowadays, I really do not have too much time or patience to grow thru this process regularly.

Luckily for me, many stores sell natural almond flour already blanched and ground. It’s a pretty simple process after that to get to the yumminess at the end. As an added benefit, this sweet is vegan and gluten free.

Print Almond Squares (vegan) Serving Size: Makes about 4 dozen. Ingredients 2 1/2 cups water 3/4 cup white sugar 16 ounces of almond meal/flour (skinless) 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom powder small pinch saffron (optional) Method Combine the water and sugar in a heavy pot. Heat on low for about 15 minutes until you reach "soft ball" consistency (like in candy making). This is when if you take a drop of the sugar mixture and add to a small cup of cold water, the sugar mixture turns into a soft candy. You can also use a candy thermometer to check- about 220°F is good for this dessert (though many recommend around 240°F). Add the almond flour, cardamom and saffron. Keep the heat on low keep mixing the ingredients until more liquid evaporates (about 3-5 minutes). Pour the mixture into a pan. Wait a few minutes and cut into squares or diamonds before it completely hardens. Serve! Notes Do not overcook the sugar/water mixture , as the sugar will harden too quickly and the almond squares will be too hard and gritty. These squares taste great when they are fresh and warm. I sometimes microwave room temperature ones for a few seconds before eating to recreate the fresh, chewy consistency. 3.1 http://globalveg.com/2014/06/12/almond-squares-vegan/ Copyright: Global Veg