New Year Treats For Your Honey

23 comments:
This is a super easy and delicious recipe for fool proof Almond Roca "style" candy

It has just 6 ingredients and takes about 15 minutes to make

The main thing to remember when making candy is it all happens pretty quickly and you need to have all of your ingredients measured and near your stove before you begin

You may want to purchase a candy thermometer if you are nervous about temperature control... or you can live dangerously like I do...and just wing it and hope for the best!

I have made some mistakes with this candy by over cooking it but 
I just dump it out and start over

 So here is what you need:

1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tbl Water
1 Tbl Light Corn Syrup
1 Cup Chopped Almonds
4-6 Regular Sized Hershey Bars


 In a large heavy sauce pan melt the butter over medium heat

* a note on butter...use good quality unsalted butter.  Lesser quality butter tends to have more water and it can affect the density of the finished candy 


 When the butter has melted, 
add the sugar and heat to a boil, stirring constantly 

* a note on stirring....use a wooden spoon and stir stir stir...
never let the sugar mixture sit or it will burn



 When the sugar comes to a rolling boil
 it will have large bubbles
 Add the corn syrup and the water...and keep stirring

 You are still working over medium to medium high heat and now you will start to see some color and the sugar mixture will start to thicken...but just keep stirring!
 After 10 to 15 minutes your candy will start to really thicken and will be a rich golden brown color.  If you are using a candy thermometer it will read 290 degrees or "hard crack"

 Working really quickly
 pour you candy mixture into a sheet pan
This mixture is really hot 
so be super careful not to splash any...it really hurts...!

 While my empty sauce pan is still hot
 I set it in the sink and fill with hot water for easy clean up
 You are now ready to add the chocolate and the nuts

After years of making this 
my family really loves the darker more bittersweet chocolate 
but you can use any chocolate that you like
I also like the nuts really roughly chopped...not too fine...I use a food processor 
but a knife will do the trick here too
 Break up the candy bar 
and gently set over the still very hot caramel  mixture
 You can see the chocolate start to melt
 Using an offset spatula 
gently smooth the candy bar chocolate 
over the caramel candy surface

And finally top with the chopped almonds

 Set your candy on a cooling rack or hot pad and allow to cool

When the candy has cooled 
let it get really hard and cold 
by refrigerating for another an hour
 Break the cold Almond Roca into large chunks 
with a chefs knife

I put mine in zip lock bags,  refrigerate some 
and freeze the rest

 Trust me on this one...it wont last long!

 This is a wonderful dessert treat with coffee 
and I confess I have eaten it for breakfast!
And  It is a perfect compliment with a glass of bubbly 
to ring in the New Year

Happy New Year Everyone

Wishing you all good things in 2013

Cheers

23 comments:
  1. I am copying this over to try. Somehow your blog fell off my blog roll AGAIN! How the heck does that happen? Anyway I found you-here I am-and I will try this-It sounds wonderful. I wonder how it would be with cashews-hubby's favorite. xo Diana ps Happy New Year!!!

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  2. Looks delicious Kelley! You make it look so easy :)

    Happy New Year! All the best to you and your family.

    Karen

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  3. Hi there! I hope you give it a try...it will be one of your favorite treats to share or not share if you have a sweet tooth! : 0 )

    xo's kelley

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  4. a belated merry christmas kelley and happy new year!

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  5. That looks absolutely delicious - I'm going to try to forget it immediately! Wouldn't it make a good gift though, so elegant...

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  6. Kelley, Can you believe I have never had this candy? It sounds delicious and I am saving this recipe. Wishing you a wonderful 2013.
    xx, Sherry

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  7. I used 6 boxes of Chex to make what I call "Christmas Crack" and gave a bag to everyone I came in contact with over this past week. This stuff is soooooo dangerous, but it's what makes the holidays. Fa la la la la la!

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  8. How sweet! I made this for years and years. Have a scar the size of a nickel on the back of my hand between my thumb and index finger...HEED her words about being very careful with the boiling candy!!! I call it my caramel toffee battle wound!!

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  9. English toffee is one of my most favorite things on earth. I agree with Tricia...I am going to hide this recipe!

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  10. Kelley I can tell you none of this would be going into the freezer! Yum!

    All the best in The New Year ahead!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  11. looks delicious and seems easy! thanks for sharing. Happy New Year!

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  12. YUM...one of my favorite candies. This one I'm going to have to save!

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  13. "like" button!

    love the action shots, sweet treat, and the beautiful stove.

    Happy New Year!

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  14. Looks incredible, can't wait to try this recipe.

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  15. Happy New Year....I'll bet that's so good!
    annie

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  16. omg-how can anything look so wrong and yet so right at the same time??
    Happy New Year!

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  17. This look delicious! and recipe to try on the next snow day!
    Stacey
    www.downtoearthdigs.wordpress.com

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  18. This looks super yummy! I think I might have to give this a go ;-)

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  19. I made it!
    Awesome! I did pop half in the freezer to enjoy at another time but have to admit it is delicious straight out of the freezer.

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  20. My mouth is watering...and I am trying to lost those holiday Lbs!

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  21. osrs gp
    It attracts most of the people, and it's the most important thing about the article, it's a wonderful blog, and it's a great blog, and I'm a game enthusiast, and I can find what you like
    rs3 gold

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