Chocolate And Almond Knots Recipes

SIMPLE CHOCOLATE-COVERED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Set a pot of water over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add a double boiler to the top of the pot and lower heat to a simmer.
• Add chocolate and coconut oil to the double boiler. Stir until chocolate is melted.
• Place a drip rack over a parchment-lined pan. Place almonds on top of the drip rack. Pour chocolate over the almonds. Allow chocolate to dry.
• Once dry, store almonds in a resealable container.

CHOCOLATE COVERED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Place the granulated sugar and water in a large copper pot or 4-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the almonds and stir to coat them evenly in the sugar syrup. Your goal is to cook the almonds until the sugar crystallizes and caramelizes.
• When water is added to the sugar, the sugar crystals are dissolved. As it boils, the syrup becomes thicker as the water evaporates and big soap-like bubbles begin to form. Soon, all the moisture evaporates and the mixture becomes sandy. The sandiness is the sugar recrystallizing. It only takes the reformation of one sugar crystal to recrystallize the others. Keep stirring! Next, you see the sugar closest to the heat change from sandy to a clear liquid. The melted sugar clings to the almonds. When the sugar changes from clear to golden brown, the nuts are caramelized. Once this happens, pay close attention; the time it takes to pass from caramelized to burned is only a matter of seconds, especially when making smaller batches. You know the nuts are finished when most of the sandy sugar is gone.
• The first few times you make these, I suggest you try the following: When the sugar closest to the heat changes from sandy to liquid, remove the pan from the burner and continue to stir. The residual heat in the sugar and nuts will continue to cook the mixture while you stir it. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue to stir the nuts while moving the saucepan on and off the heat at 10-second intervals. This will give you more control as it cooks. When the nuts begin to caramelize, remove them from the heat and finish stirring.
• Use a wooden spoon to spread the caramelized nuts onto a parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Do not touch the nuts as they are extremely hot. Let the nuts cool completely. If your freezer will accommodate the baking sheet, you can place the nuts in the freezer for about 30 minutes to speed up the cooling process. When completely cooled, break apart any nut clusters that may have formed. At this stage, you can choose to serve the nuts as they are.
• Place the caramelized nuts in the coating pan attached to the stand mixer. Spin at low speed. Use a ladle to add the chocolate to the spinning nuts. Add 1 ladle at a time until the nuts are coated to the desired thickness. If a thicker coat is desired, use more chocolate. If a thinner coat is desired, decrease the amount of chocolate. Finish by adding cocoa powder to the coating pan. Remove and serve.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE & ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and line the base of a 20cm springform tin with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water, or in the microwave in 20-second bursts. Stir, then leave to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, tip the eggs and sugar into a second bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 4-5 mins, or until thick and creamy. Add the mascarpone or soft cheese and vanilla, and continue to beat until everything is combined. Lightly fold in the cooled melted chocolate mixture until everything is one even colour, then fold in the almonds. Sift over the cocoa powder and a small pinch of salt, and fold in to combine.
• Scrape the cake batter into the prepared tin. Put the tin on a baking tray and bake for 35-40 mins until the cake is puffed up and has cracked on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 30-40 mins - it will deflate as it cools. Serve warm as a chocolate pudding, or leave to cool completely and enjoy as a fudgy brownie cake. Dust with extra cocoa powder before serving.

ALMOND-COCONUT CHEWY CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat on medium speed just to combine. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture, beating until combined. Fold in chocolate and almonds. Shape dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, tightly wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place coconut in a shallow dish. Scoop 2 tablespoons (about 1 ounce) dough and form into a ball; roll in coconut to coat. Repeat with remaining dough. Place balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 inch apart; press each lightly to flatten. Bake until cookies are cracked but still slightly soft, 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on sheets, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE COVERED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds for 15 minutes on a baking sheet. Line two baking pans with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water, toasted almonds, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar becomes golden and granular and almonds are completely coated and separated. Pour nuts onto prepared pans. Chill in freezer, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place chocolate in a medium bowl; place bowl over simmering water until melted. Transfer half the chilled almonds to a large bowl, and pour half the melted chocolate over nuts. Stir until nuts are thoroughly coated. Transfer nuts onto prepared baking pan. Using two forks, separate nuts so none stick together. Return almonds to refrigerator until chocolate has set, about 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining almonds.
• Place cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar into two separate bowls. Toss half the nuts in cocoa and half in sugar, and gently tap off any excess powder. Store separately in airtight containers for up to 1 month.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND BREAKFAST DONUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Generously spray or brush a nonstick donut pan with cooking spray; set aside until needed.
• Place eggs, vegetable oil, and maple syrup into a mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly until the mixture is emulsified, light, and a little bit foamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add almond flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder; mix everything together thoroughly with a spatula until all the almond flour is incorporated and you've achieved a very thick batter.
• Transfer batter into a pastry bag, or a plastic zip-top bag with one of the corners cut off. Pipe the batter evenly into the prepared donut pan.
• Dip a finger in water and smooth the tops of the batter to even out. Tap the pan on a work surface a few times to settle the batter even more.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until a wooden skewer inserted into a donut comes out clean, 9 to 10 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before serving.

DARK CHOCOLATE ALMOND ROCKS

Steps:

• Spread almonds in a large skillet; toast over medium heat until starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour almonds into a bowl.
• Melt chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides to avoid scorching, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; pour in almonds and stir until evenly coated.
• Drop spoonfuls of chocolate-almond mixture onto a plate lined with waxed paper.
• Chill until set, about 10 minutes.