Chocolate Orange Almond Clusters Recipes

ORANGE-ALMOND CHOCOLATE LOGS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream the butter, almond paste and 1/2 teaspoon orange zest until light and fluffy. In a microwave, melt white baking chocolate; stir until smooth. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Slowly stir in orange juice. Beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until easy to handle, stirring occasionally., Shape into 2-in. logs; place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm. Combine coarse sugar and remaining orange zest; set aside., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip logs in chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with sugar mixture. Let stand until firm.

ALMOND AND CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lightly grease the mini-muffin tins with vegetable oil spray. Place 1 teaspoon of slivered nuts in each of the muffin cups. Unwrap the caramel candies, cut each candy into quarters and place 4 quarters (1 candy) in each of the muffin cups on top of the nuts in a single layer. Bake in the oven until the caramel is just melted and beginning to spread, about 8 minutes. Be careful not to over melt the caramel or it will bubble, burn, and become too hard. Place the mini muffin tins in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to cool. Remove the nut clusters from the tins and set aside.
• Meanwhile, melt the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Wisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream into the chocolate to slightly thin the chocolate for coating the clusters. Dip half of the nut clusters in the bittersweet chocolate and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Return the clusters to the refrigerator to harden, about 30 minutes.
• Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Wisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of cream into the chocolate to slightly thin the chocolate for coating the clusters. Dip remaining half of the nut clusters in the white chocolate and place on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet with the other chocolate-covered clusters. Return the clusters to the refrigerator to harden, about 30 minutes.

ORANGE HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula to ensure even melting. Remove the double boiler from the heat, remove the top pan containing the chocolate, wipe it dry, and set aside briefly. Replace the water in the bottom pan with lukewarm tap water, set the pan of chocolate on top of this, and stir gently to reduce the temperature of the chocolate (10 to 15 minutes). It will begin to get a bit thicker as it cools. If using a thermometer, it should register 95°F.
• Again remove the top pan of chocolate from the water and replace the water in the bottom pan with tap water that is a few degrees warmer than the chocolate. If using the same thermometer to check the temperature of the chocolate and the water, be sure to dry it completely so no water mixes with the chocolate. Set the pan of chocolate over the pan of warm water. The warm water will hold the chocolate at the correct temperature so that it does not cool too fast.
• In a bowl, mix the hazelnuts thoroughly with the chopped candied orange peel. Stir this mixture into the chocolate, making sure that the nuts and peel are thoroughly coated with the chocolate.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Spoon out clusters 1 inch in diameter onto the sheet, leaving 1 inch of space between them. Let the clusters set up at room temperature, or chill them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then place them in paper candy cups. In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the clusters will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. The clusters are best served at room temperature.
• VARIATIONS
• Orange Almond Chocolate Clusters: Replace the hazelnuts with toasted, whole, unblanched almonds.
• White Chocolate Orange Almond Clusters: Replace the bittersweet chocolate with white chocolate and replace the hazelnuts with toasted, whole, unblanched almonds.
• Orange Pecan Chocolate Clusters: Replace the hazelnuts with toasted pecans.
• Cherry Almond Chocolate Clusters: Replace the candied orange peel with 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon roughly chopped dried cherries and replace the hazelnuts with toasted, whole, unblanched almonds.
• Cranberry Almond Chocolate Clusters: Replace the candied orange peel with 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon roughly chopped sweetened dried cranberries and replace the hazelnuts with toasted, whole, unblanched almonds.
• White Chocolate Apricot Hazelnut Clusters: Replace the bittersweet chocolate with white chocolate and replace the candied orange peel with roughly chopped dried apricots.

ALMOND CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Whisk the egg whites until stiff gradually whisk in all of the sugar until thick and glossy.
• Fold in almonds and the essence.
• Place small mounds of the mixture onto a baking tray that has been lined with non stick baking paper.
• Bake at 325F for 35 minutes then remove and cool on a wire rack.
• Place the melted chocolate into a piping bag and pipe swirls of it onto the top of the clusters.