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chocolate covered almonds

annachan

By annachan
in Pastry & Baking

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annachan

annachan

Posted
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As I'm brainstorming ideas on what to make for holiday gifts this year, I thought about chocolate covered almonds. I'm not sure how difficult it will be to make them. I just assume I'll dip roasted almonds in chocolate, doing several coatings. (Should I salt the almonds?) Thinking maybe on the 3rd coating, roll them in cocoa powder before letting the chocolate set.

Instead of just plain cocoa powder, I'm thinking of spicing it up. Chili scented, curry scented and cumin scented. What portion of spice to cocoa powder should I start experimenting with? Also, anyone have a suggestion of which type of chili powder may work? Would cayenne be too spicy?

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ludja

ludja

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Cinnamon, in moderation, may also be a nice addition to dark chocolate. Almonds, cinnamon and chocolate go together in Mexican chocolate...

"Under the dusty almond trees, ... stalls were set up which sold banana liquor, rolls, blood puddings, chopped fried meat, meat pies, sausage, yucca breads, crullers, buns, corn breads, puff pastes, longanizas, tripes, coconut nougats, rum toddies, along with all sorts of trifles, gewgaws, trinkets, and knickknacks, and cockfights and lottery tickets."

-- Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1962 "Big Mama's Funeral"

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reenicake

reenicake

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The classic way to make chocolate-covered almonds is to kind of do a rocher, which is candying them first by boiling them in a sugar syrup until it caramelizes/crystallizes around them. Then you coat them in chocolate. I like to add whole spices like cinnamon sticks, star anise or cardamon to the sugar so it suffuses the almonds.

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Kouign Aman

Kouign Aman

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I like cinnamon, cayenne and chocolate.

I have no idea how to infuse those flavors into the chocolate,

but perhaps the almonds can be dusted before chocolate coating?

I speak in complete ignorance of the workable processes.....

"You dont know everything in the world! You just know how to read!" -an ah-hah! moment for 6-yr old Miss O.

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annachan

annachan

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Posted
I like cinnamon, cayenne and chocolate.

I have no idea how to infuse those flavors into the chocolate,

but perhaps the almonds can be dusted before chocolate coating?

I speak in complete ignorance of the workable processes.....

I haven't done this before so it's also new to me. I thought about dusting it first, but I worry that the dusting won't stay and will just fall into the chocolate when I dip them.

Anyone who has made chocolate covered almonds before, I'd appreciate your inputs. Thanks for all the spice suggestions, by the way.

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reenicake

reenicake

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There are a few ways to cover them in chocolate. #1 take each almond and dip it in the tempered chocolate with a fork. #2 have the almonds in a big bowl, pour tempered chocolate over them, and toss to coat, then separate into clumps as the chocolate cools. The third is to do the same as #2, but after the chocolate you add a powdery coating such as confectioner's sugar or cocoa powder. This helps to separate them so you get individual almonds.

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Kerry Beal

Kerry Beal

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Anyone who has made chocolate covered almonds before, I'd appreciate your inputs. Thanks for all the spice suggestions, by the way.

I'm not sure you are going to appreciate this, but here is how I coat almonds.

the Chocolate Doctor
www.thechocolatedoctor.ca

www.eztemper.com

 

Confectionary Course • Confectionary Course Q&A
eGullet foodblog 2006 • eGullet Foodblog 2012

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annachan

annachan

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Anyone who has made chocolate covered almonds before, I'd appreciate your inputs. Thanks for all the spice suggestions, by the way.

I'm not sure you are going to appreciate this, but here is how I coat almonds.

I've been wanting one of those coating pans!!!! Where can a get a reasonable priced one? Perhaps one that would work with my KitchenAid mixer?

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Kerry Beal

Kerry Beal

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Anyone who has made chocolate covered almonds before, I'd appreciate your inputs. Thanks for all the spice suggestions, by the way.

I'm not sure you are going to appreciate this, but here is how I coat almonds.

I've been wanting one of those coating pans!!!! Where can a get a reasonable priced one? Perhaps one that would work with my KitchenAid mixer?

This is the one on the kitchen aid, I don't know if reasonably priced describes them well. I did see one on e-bay a couple of weeks ago, went for about $300 as I recall. Beryl's carries them (that's who I got mine from) and I have seen them here at chefrubber. Keep in mind that to use them sucessfully you need a kitchenaid that can run at really slow speeds. My old one wasn't slow enough, I had to pick up a new one from Costco. The unit I have fell out of the front of my 6 quart kitchen aid. So there you are, looking at cost, I think this cost me $400 US (when the exchange rate sucked) and the cost of 3 kitchen aids.

the Chocolate Doctor
www.thechocolatedoctor.ca

www.eztemper.com

 

Confectionary Course • Confectionary Course Q&A
eGullet foodblog 2006 • eGullet Foodblog 2012

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