Soaking question

[Moonlit]

How long are you suppose to soak nuts and dates?

I made fudge balls twice so far (calls for soaked dates). The 1st time I only soaked the dates like 5 to 10 mins (I was in need of a chocolate fix) and they were very greasy. The
2nd time I soaked them for an hour or more (lost track of time) and they were so sticky I couldn't roll them into balls (they still taste yummy eatten with a spoon but the kids wouldn't touch them).
Anyone know the best time period to soak them for?

I also have a recipe (I got from this board) for mayo and it says to soak and peel almonds. How long do I soak them?

Thanks in advance,
moonlit

[Ama]

Almonds you want to soak for AT LEAST 12 hours because they have enzyme inhibitors. I usually soak mine for about 24 hours (changing the water a few times) and I've never gone through the trouble of blanching them to get rid of the skin, I just process the whole almond. Because it takes so long to soak almonds I usually do a bunch at a time and dehydrate them so they are always ready to use.

For the dates, you soak them to make them easier to process. When I used to buy medjool dates from the health food store they were already VERY moist so I didn't need to soak them. I found out that those dates were most likely not raw and had most likely been soaked to make them plumper etc.... so I bought some dates in bulk online. These dates were MUCH drier than the super-moist medjool dates that I was used to. These new dates that I have need to be soaked or else they'll have a real hard time in the food processor. I usually use warm water and soak for about 1 hour. If you use cold water they won't soften up as quick, in my experience.

[Moonlit]

Thank You:D