Make Chocolate Coated Almonds

These chocolate coated almonds are easy to prepare and are a delicious way to enjoy almonds. You can either toast the nuts or use them raw, as either way produces quite distinct taste differences. Perhaps try both!

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups almonds, unblanched or blanched and toasted (according to preference) - select almonds that are plump at the ends
  • 8 ounces (230g) bittersweet chocolate
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon confectioners sugar (icing sugar)

Steps

  1. Brush the almonds to remove nut dust (if needed). If you want to toast the almonds (check that they're not already toasted), do so before proceeding.
  2. Melt the chocolate for dipping:
    • Add the chocolate to top of a double boiler. The chocolate will melt faster if it is broken up into smaller pieces.
    • Stir the chocolate constantly until it melts and becomes smooth. Avoid overheating it.
    • Temper the chocolate. Place the bowl of melted chocolate into a bowl with ice water, and stir slowly but constantly. Once it begins to thicken, crystallization or "tempering" occurs, and you can remove it from the cold water. The trick is to warm it again without overheating and losing the tempering. Place the bowl over the pot of warm water if need be, to loosen up the chocolate a bit. For more details, read How to temper chocolate.
  3. Put the almonds into a large mixing bowl. Pour a third of the melted and tempered chocolate over the almonds in the bowl. With a rubber spatula, completely coat the almonds. Keep stirring until the chocolate starts to set on the almonds.
    • If the chocolate isn't setting after 6 minutes, then place in the fridge for 2-3 minutes to speed things up.
    • Separate any clusters that have formed. Each coated almond should be individual.
  4. Pour half of the remaining chocolate over the almonds. Stir through once again until the chocolate sets. Add the last chocolate and repeat until all chocolate has been stirred in and has set over the almonds. Again, separate any clusters that form.
    • You can stop here and simply have chocolate coated almonds without a dusting of cocoa powder. Or, you can proceed to the next step and give them a "powdered" finish.
  5. Mix the Buy Cocoa Powder and confectioners sugar together. Do this either with a flour sifter or with a pulse in the food processor. Place this powder into a large, strong plastic bag.
    • Line a baking sheet or tray with waxed paper.
  6. Put half of the almonds into the bag. Seal the top. Shake until the powder coats the chocolate almonds.
    • Over a bowl, place a colander or sieve. Pour out the chocolate almonds from the plastic bag. Separate the nuts and arrange them on the waxed paper. Tip the chocolate powder from the bowl back into the plastic bag and coat the remaining chocolate almonds in the same way.
  7. Store. If you're not serving these immediately, transfer the chocolate coated almonds to an airtight container using wax paper to separate the layers. Stored in this way, at room temperature, the chocolate almonds will keep for about 2 weeks.



Tips

  • Other nuts can be substituted for the almonds, such as hazelnuts or walnuts.
  • These make a delicious gift for a foodie or chocolate lover.
  • Create a design. Place a fork on each almond; when lifting the fork off, draw or imprint a design on the top of each almond.

Warnings

  • Be careful not to get water into the chocolate when melting; this includes steam condensing back into the container.
  • Coating nuts with chocolate is messy! Cover the work space with wax paper to catch spills.

Things You'll Need

  • Double boiler (bain marie)
  • Rubber spatula
  • Fork
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Baking or waxed paper
  • Flour sifter or food processor
  • Large, strong plastic bag
  • Colander or sieve
  • Flat tray or baking sheet

Related Articles

  • Make Torrone
  • Make Almond Fondant
  • Make Chocolate Almond Bars
  • Create Almond Fondant Sticks
  • Make Candied Almonds
  • Make Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Sources and Citations

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