Amande Chocolat (Chocolate-Coated Almonds)
Perfect for Valentine’s Day Gifts! Homemade Recipe for Sweet & Crunchy Amande Chocolat
Experience the delightful crunch of roasted almonds enveloped in rich, sweet chocolate! Amande Chocolat offers a perfect balance of nutty flavor and chocolatey indulgence. While it requires a bit of patience, the delicious result is absolutely worth it! These make for wonderful, heartfelt gifts. ♥
Ingredients- Almonds 300g
- Sugar 80g
- Water 30g
- Butter 15g
- Dark Chocolate 450g
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Before you begin, let’s lightly toast the almonds. This step enhances their crunchiness and nutty flavor. Place the almonds in a dry pan over low heat and toast them gently, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Toasting them until they are fragrant but not browned is key.
Step 2
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar (80g) and water (30g). Place it over medium-low heat and bring it to a boil. Let it bubble gently until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Step 3
Once the sugar syrup is bubbling vigorously (let it boil for about 30 seconds), add the toasted almonds. Stir vigorously and continuously with a spatula or spoon to coat each almond evenly with the syrup. This initial coating is crucial.
Step 4
As you continue stirring, you’ll notice white sugar crystals forming on the almonds. Keep stirring to dissolve these crystals and caramelize the sugar. This process can produce some smoke, so ensure good ventilation. Continue stirring constantly to prevent the sugar from burning.
Step 5
The caramelization will progress, and the sugar crystals will melt, giving the almonds a glossy sheen. Keep stirring until all the almonds are coated in a smooth, translucent brown caramel.
Step 6
Once the almonds are beautifully coated in caramel and look shiny, add the butter (15g). Stir quickly until the butter is fully melted and incorporated. The butter adds richness and helps prevent the caramel from becoming too hard. Remove from heat immediately after the butter melts.
Step 7
Spread the shiny, caramel-coated almonds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. They might seem sticky when hot, but they won’t stick to the paper once cooled. Allow them to cool completely.
Step 8
While the almonds are cooling, melt your chocolate. You’ll need 450g of dark chocolate. (If you don’t have enough dark chocolate, you can mix in some milk chocolate, but be mindful that too much milk chocolate can make the final product overly sweet!) Melt the chocolate gently using a double boiler or in short intervals in the microwave, stirring between each interval.
Step 9
Once the caramel almonds are completely cool and hardened, place them in a bowl. Break apart any large clumps.
Step 10
Now it’s time to coat the almonds with chocolate. Don’t add all the melted chocolate at once. Add about 2 tablespoons of melted chocolate to the bowl with the almonds and stir to coat. As the chocolate starts to set slightly, add another 2 tablespoons and repeat the coating process. You need to repeat this process multiple times to build up a good, even layer of chocolate. This is the most time-consuming part, but it’s essential for perfectly coated Amande Chocolat! (Repeat this process about 10 times).
Step 11
As mentioned before, continue to add the melted chocolate in small batches of about 2 tablespoons, stirring well after each addition. Keep repeating this until the almonds are coated with a generous layer of chocolate. Repeating this process about 10 times should be sufficient.
Step 12
Around the 8th repetition, you should see a substantial chocolate coating forming on the almonds. Continue with the same method to build up the coating further.
Step 13
Here are the Amande Chocolat after the chocolate coating is complete! If the chocolate coating seems uneven or peels off, it might be due to insufficient coating or not allowing enough cooling time between layers. Take pride in your well-crafted treats!
Step 14
For the final touch, lightly dust the finished Amande Chocolat with cocoa powder and gently toss to coat. This adds a sophisticated finish and balances the sweetness of the chocolate.
Step 15
The first time I made these, I was a bit rushed, and you can see some of the chocolate coating started to peel. It’s really important to coat them thoroughly and let them cool properly. I’ll aim for a smoother finish next time! Hehe.
Step 16
This is the approximate yield of Amande Chocolat. It fills about 3/4 of a large jam jar or a whole small jam jar.
Step 17
Open the jar, and you’re greeted by a wonderful, sweet chocolate aroma! They look so tempting.
Step 18
Finally, add a lovely ‘Handmade’ sticker to complete your gift-ready Amande Chocolat! Oh, disaster struck when I placed the finished treats on top of the oven while baking a genoise, and they slightly melted underneath… Ah! I find that one or two at a time is perfect, as they can be quite rich. They make an incredibly thoughtful gift, especially considering the effort involved! Hehe.
