Lazy weekends, here we come!
In the middle of today’s crazed social media food trends (15-hour potatoes! Souffle pancakes! Rolled ice cream!) these Almond Butter and Pear Toasts are singing a different song: sometimes the simplest things are the most delicious and (shhhh!) the most beautiful.
Thick slices of crunchy whole grain toast slathered with almond butter, layered with thinly sliced pear, and topped with toasty almonds and a drizzle of honey. Rich and nutty, fresh and sweet, these Almond Butter and Pear Toasts are perfect for a lazy weekend breakfast, a quick weekday afternoon snack, or even a satisfying late-night snack.
Almond butter can be wicked expensive, so I’ve included instructions so you can make your own if you like. (If you do, I highly recommend using a food processor rather than a blender if you can: blenders can overheat easily and the wide, shallower food processor bowl makes grinding the almonds down much easier.) If you prefer to buy almond butter, make sure it’s unsweetened, containing only almonds with a little added oil and salt. You want to keep additives to a minimum so the nut flavor can really shine—and anyway, you’ll be adding your own sweetener in the form of honey drizzled over the top.
You don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to achieve food that is satisfying, delicious, and yes, beautiful. Still in doubt? Take five minutes to whip up these Almond Butter and Pear Toasts. See for yourself.
Enjoy!
Almond Butter and Pear Toasts
(Serves 4)
For the almond butter:
3 ½ cups whole raw almonds (about 1 ¼ lb)
¼- ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the toast:
½ cup almond butter
8 tsp. honey, plus additional as needed
4 slices whole grain bread, toasted
1 pear, thinly sliced
Reserved chopped toasted almonds
Special equipment: rimmed baking sheet, food processor
Method
For the almond butter:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread almonds out on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing every 5 minutes, until fragrant and light golden in the center, 8-10 minutes. Let cool until just warm, about 10 minutes.
Roughly chop ¼ cup almonds; set aside. Combine remaining almonds and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt in the food processor. Process 1-2 minutes, or until nuts turn into a thick moist flour that climbs the side of the food processor. Scrape down the sides and continue to process until nuts form a smooth butter, 7-8 minutes more. Taste and season with remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt as needed.
Transfer almond butter to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
For the toast:
Spread 2 tablespoons almond butter on each toasted bread slice; drizzle with 2 teaspoons honey. Arrange a quarter of the sliced pear on each toast and sprinkle with chopped toasted almonds. Drizzle with more honey as desired. Serve immediately.
Originally posted November 8, 2022.
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