Nuts – How to Crack Several Types of Nuts in One Batch

You're missing an important step here: You need to use cold water immediately after the boiling water in order to halt the cooking process.

1. Boil them for about 1 minute, then drain. (You can pour boiling water over them, as in the case of almonds - it doesn't really matter how you do this.)

2. Submerge or rinse in cold water, to prevent any further cooking and softening;

3. Peel them.

For the case of almonds, you should not rub them in order to peel. Just pinch the end - they should pop right out of their peels. If you find it taking any more effort than this, stop, don't waste any more time on peeling, and just blanch them again. If you've blanched them long enough, peeling will be very easy.

If you want them to taste like cashews, there should be no need to "replace flavor" - you can attempt washing and then drying in the oven - results may vary depending on how the "spicy" was applied. Probably they will remain somewhat spicy, as those flavors tend to be fat-soluble, so they will get into the nut but not come out with a wash (and I can't really see "washing in oil" as an effective or economical technique.)

Giving them to someone that likes spicy things would be another option, and more reliable. Then buy some that are not spicy for you.