Thursday, September 30, 2010

I've been waiting on these

I am deeply ambivalent about these candies - on the one hand, they are delicious. On the other hand, they burned my finger and I had to sit with it soaking in an ice bath for two hours because it hurt so bad. But ultimately, I decided that you deserve to know about it. Also I have no other pictures of anything to post. I suck lately.

Chocolate Covered Almonds - from Serious Eats


1 1/2 cups whole almonds
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

These are great because they're so much more complex than just regular chocolate covered almonds. The cinnamon sugar level is truly addictive. They make a great snack.

Preheat oven to 325°F and toast almonds on a baking sheet for approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, cook the warm almonds, sugar, water, salt and cinnamon over medium heat until the almonds begin to have a dry and sandy sugar coating. Be sure to stir the almonds constantly to prevent them from caramelizing. I'm not sure I ever got to the dry sandy coating place - but they still were fine.


Spread the sugar-coated almonds onto a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to cool, approximately 20 minutes.

By no means should you touch one of the hot almonds with your finger to see if they're cool yet. They're not and you will probably get a super painful second degree burn on your finger like I did because I am stupid. Oh well.

While the almonds are cooling, melt the chocolate over a double boiler (or you know, a pot of simmering water with a metal bowl in it. Or the microwave. Whatever).

Transfer the cooled almonds to a large mixing bowl and add the melted chocolate. Gently stir until completely coated with chocolate, then spread onto a baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up.

Place the chocolate-covered almonds in the refrigerator to set, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Once the chocolate coating has hardened, transfer the almonds to a large mixing bowl and add the cocoa powder (or put them in the jar you're going to keep them in, add the cocoa powder and shake it). Gently toss the nuts until well coated. Store in the refrigerator or a very cool, dry place until ready to serve.


I know they don't look like much, but these are great. I kept them in the fridge and kept eating one or two as a special treat - which is kind of dangerous in a way. Whoops. But they're gone now. Problem solved.

4 comments:

Meredith said...

Yeah, did you see that nasty burn I got when I made salted toffee in England? I had to keep it all inside because I didn't want those crazy people I lived with to know I poured molten sugar on my hand. Hot sugar really freakin' hurts.

Those look good though. Really really good.

Toni Tralala said...

That looks delicious!

Kristin (Book Sniffers Anonymous) said...

I love the way they look, they remind me of rocks.

Purple Closet Beauty said...

These sound brilliantly delicious. I wonder, though, if letting the almonds caramelize would actually be a good idea. Then it's like chocolate and caramel coated almonds. Yummers.