Holiday Almond Roca Recipes

ALMOND ROCA RECIPE

Steps:

• Place a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet and lightly butter the parchment, set aside.
• If your almonds are not toasted I would toast them and chop them now, by placing them in a single layer on a large baking sheet and baking at 300F/149C for 10 minutes. You need all elements of the recipe ready to go otherwise you risk the candy not setting up properly. Make sure the chocolate is finely chopped.
• In a large bottomed heavy pot add the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract and cook over medium-low heat. Do not increase the heat, you want the butter and sugar to melt evenly, once the sugar has melted completely, and the mixture is evenly combined increase the heat to medium, not high.
• Using a whisk mix everything constantly. Depending on how large your pot is, this process will take anywhere from 5-15 minutes. The mixture will start to bubble and thicken up and slowly change color. Use an instant-read thermometer or candy thermometer to keep checking the temperature of the toffee. Once the temperature has reached 295F/ 146C take-off of the heat and whisk in the baking soda. Once the baking soda is fully combined add the toasted almonds. Pour toffee onto the prepared pan and use an angled spatula to spread it into an even layer.
• Immediately sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly over the toffee, you could take a piece of foil and "tent" the baking tray to help the steam stay in and melt the chocolate or what I do is place the baking sheet in the oven and turn the oven on to preheat, while the oven is warming and blowing warm air that will melt the chocolate in less than 5 minutes. Use another angled spatula to spread the chocolate then sprinkle with finely chopped toasted almonds pieces.
• Let the Almond Roca set up for 1 - 2 Hours. You can put it in the fridge to speed up the process but I suggest letting it cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour to prevent the chocolate from blooming, and turning white, it will still taste good the chocolate will just end up with white streaks.
• Break into pieces and store in an air-tight container for up to a week.

EASY HOMEMADE ALMOND ROCA

Steps:

• Over Medium heat, melt butter in a large pot.
• Add corn syrup, water and sugar to pot and cook until temp reaches 290 degrees OR until the mixture becomes the color of a brown paper bag (about 15-20 minutes) stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (mixture will rise and bubble quite a bit).
• Remove from heat and Stir in 1/2 of the Almonds.
• Turn mixture onto a greased cookie sheet WITH EDGES!
• While the mixture is cooling, melt the chocolate over low flame until all the chips are gone, and chocolate is smooth.
• Score the Almond butter mixture into the shape you desire (I just scored into rectangle shapes).
• Pour the hot chocolate over the almond mixture and spread evenly.
• Sprinkle with remaining almonds and allow candy to cool completely and chocolate to harden before breaking apart and serving.
• Note: I let mine refrigerate over night after breaking the into squares, and they had a better texture this way, we thought.

MARBLED ALMOND ROCA

Steps:

• Sprinkle almonds on a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 300° for 15 minutes or until toasted and golden brown; remove from the oven and set aside. , In a large saucepan over low heat, cook butter and sugar for 5 minutes. Add water and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage). Quickly pour over almonds. Sprinkle chips on top; let stand for 1-2 minutes or until melted. Spread and swirl chocolate over candy. Cool completely; break into pieces.

HOLIDAY ALMOND ROCA

Steps:

• Line a large cookie sheet (or two smaller) with aluminum foil, or lay aluminum foil over a large area on the counter or table.
• Cook butter, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan to hard crack stage (285-290F), while stirring constantly.
• Once heated, pour onto the aluminum foil lined surface.
• Spread out to about 1/4-inch thickness.
• Sprinkle with chocolate chips, let sit until beginning to melt, then spread chocolate out.
• Sprinkle the top with almonds.
• Let cool for 2 hours, then break into pieces.

ALMOND ROCA

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Sprinkle 1/2 the chocolate and 1/2 the almonds onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Melt sugar and butter together in a stainless steel pan over low heat; increase heat to medium, stirring constantly, until boiling. Heat mixture to 310 degrees F (155 degrees C) or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Pour butter-sugar mixture over chocolate and almonds on baking sheet. Sprinkle remaining chocolate and almonds over butter-sugar mixture. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Break into pieces.