Chocolate almonds are an easy project that children can participate in. My eleven year-old niece Isabelle and I spent a relaxing half hour making them. Most of the time is spent dipping the almonds in the chocolate mixture. We decided to experiment with a “Mexican” flavor by adding cinnamon and cayenne pepper and we loved the outcome. The recipe below creates a chocolate nut that is flavorful and just slightly spicy. You won’t be sorry if you go out of your way to acquire high quality chocolate bars for this. I used Green and Black’s Organic 70% chocolate bars.
RECIPE: SPICY CHOCOLATE-DIPPED ALMONDS
INGREDIENTS
1 pound toasted almonds
two chocolate bars (7 ounces total), broken in to pieces
5 tablespoons cream
1 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
EQUIPMENT
saucepan
parchment paper
baking sheets
METHODS
- Heat the cream and chocolate in a small saucepan and stir until smooth. Stir in the spices.
Spread parchment paper on to two cookie sheets. Dip each almond in to the chocolate mixture and lay it on the parchment paper. My three year-old daughter pitched in to help for the first half of the project.
Set the cookie sheets in to the refrigerator (or just place outside somewhere safe if it’s cold out, which is what we did) for about an hour to harden.
The monotony of dipping the nuts in to the chocolate creates the opportunity for lots of catching up and chatting, so this is a nice activity to do with family or friends. The final product makes a nice gift (be sure to use pretty ribbon). If you put these out in a bowl for guests to sample be prepared for the nuts to disappear quickly.
These look fantastic – can’t wait to try them. Do you have any idea how these or something similar can be made dairy free?
I’m not sure what you could use instead of cream, since most non-dairy products lack the same thickness. Let me know if you come up with something. And enjoy – I think you’ll like them!
Such a lovely recipe . They look very tasty
Thanks! They are tasty – I ate too many the evening after we made them.
What a Wonderful Treat as well as Gift!!! Thanks for sharing – Have a Great One:)
Thanks! You too.
Yum!! I wonder how they would turn out with almond milk instead of cream..
Let me know if you try the recipe with almond milk. I’m sure flavor-wise they’d be great.
Reblogged this on Itsmeval's Blog.
This look so delicious…Great for gifts!
Warm wishes,
Carmella