Properly dried almonds have a firm texture and snap in half when bent.
Almonds fall off the tree once they ripen and dry completely, but late season rain can ruin the nut meat. Harvest almonds once their green hulls begin to split to prevent rain damage. Shaking the tree dislodges most of the nuts, but you may need a ladder to pick the stubborn ones that refuse to fall. You can also dislodge clusters of ripe almonds by knocking them with a stick or rake. Only harvest the nuts with split hulls since those with sealed hulls haven't yet finished developing.
Instructions
1. Peel the hull off the almond with your fingers. The hulls of fully ripened split open on their own so they peel off easily.
2. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a drying screen after the hull removal. Set the screen in a warm, well-ventilated area.
3. Cover the almonds with a layer of cheesecloth. The cheesecloth allows air to circulate around the drying almonds while preventing birds and pests from stealing the nuts.
4. Stir the almonds two to three times a day to help them dry evenly. Replace the cheesecloth after each stirring. Almonds take two to three days to dry completely. The nuts rattle in the shell once dried.
5. Position a fully dried almond in the nutcracker so the nutcracker arms are in contact with the sides of the almond and the seam on the shell is visible between the two arms. Squeeze the nutcracker arms together with firm pressure, cracking the shell open along the seam.
6. Remove the almond from the nutcracker. Pry apart the two shell halves and remove the almond from inside.
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