Smoked Almond Dreams

By RossanaV

Rich, soft, creamy caramel generously covering smoked almonds all enrobed in a layer of not-too-sweet dark chocolate. Make plenty of these dreams because heaven knows it's too hard to resist them.

Ingredients

• Caramel:
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 cup (5 ounces) coarsely chopped smoked almonds
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3/4 cup (4.5 oz) bittersweet (60 percent cacao) chocolate chips (recommended: Ghiradelli)
• Espresso Sea Salt
• Special equipment: a candy thermometer, a 24-count mini muffin pan

Preparation

Step 1

Spray a 24-count mini muffin pan, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Put the almonds in the bottom of each muffin cup and set aside.

For the caramel: In a 3-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the cream, butter, sugar, and water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F, about 5 to 7 minutes. Let the mixture cool for 30 seconds. Using a long-handled, metal spoon, carefully spoon the caramel over the nuts. Allow the caramel to cool about 15 minutes before putting on chocolate layer.

Put the chocolate chips in a medium stainless steel or glass bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted, about 4 minutes. Spoon the chocolate over the caramel and put a dash of Espresso Sea Salt on top of each candy. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Using a thin-bladed spatula, remove each candy from the pan (caramel will be hard). Let the turtles stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour (to allow the caramel to soften) before serving.

Store in an airtight container.