I received this recipe for "Almond Roca" from my aunt many years ago. I remember the first time we made it together. I was 12 years old, and my mom had let me bring two friends to my aunt's house in Santa Barbara. We made this delightful treat, and burned our fingers trying to eat it before it had cooled into crunchy candy! It is a must-have treat during Christmas for me. Sometimes it turns out, and sometimes it doesn't, but my husband and I have a great time attempting to make this every year. This year the first batch was a flop, but the second turned out like it could be sold in stores! Trust me, you'll want to give at least half of this stuff away because it makes so much. I asked my aunt if I could share her recipe, and she gladly gave me permission. Without further ado...
Auntie's Almond Smoka
2 C sugar
2 C butter (use 4 sticks, not one pound... it just doesn't work for some reason)
1/3 C Water
1 C almonds, chopped
1 (8 ounce) milk chocolate bar (my aunt likes to use Trader Joe's chocolate bars)
- Line a jelly roll pan with tin foil. (it's a good idea to place this on a heat resistant surface)
- Scatter chopped almonds across tin foil, reserving some of the finer chopped bits for topping.
- In a large saucepan, over high heat, stir sugar, butter & water constantly.
- Stir until mixture is the same color as a brown paper bag. (My mix isn't quite there in the picture below, but I have a piece of paper bag that I keep with my recipe at all times!) The technical temperature on a candy thermometer is 276°F (or 285° at sea level), but the paper bag is tried and true!
- Quickly (and very carefully) pour the boiling mixture over the almonds. Smooth evenly over almonds with the wooden spoon. Allow to cool slightly.
- Break chocolate into pieces and scatter over the top of the almond candy. As it melts, use a metal spoon or knife to spread it evenly.
- Allow to cool completely, and then break into pieces to enjoy.
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