Raisin Cashew Clusters Food

RAISIN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Line baking sheet with buttered wax paper; set aside.
• Melt chocolate with condensed milk and vanilla in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in raisins.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet.
• Refrigerate until firm.

RAISIN CASHEW DROPS

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips with milk and corn syrup for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla until blended. Stir in cashews and raisins., Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm. Store in the refrigerator.

PEANUT RAISIN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, stirring frequently. When melted, remove from the heat and mix in the peanuts and raisins. Drop the mixture by the spoonful onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, or pour into a buttered loaf pan lined with plastic wrap. Let set at room temperature until firm and completely cooled. If using a loaf pan, cut up into squares. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE CASHEW COCONUT CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Toast the cashews on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until uniformly golden brown. Cool the nuts to room temperature. Toast the coconut on a baking sheet in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges. Cool the coconut to room temperature. Heat 1-inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place the semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Use a rubber spatula to stir the chocolate until completely melted and smooth, about 5 to 6 minutes. transfer the melted chocolate to a 4-quart bowl. Add the cashews and coconut. Use a rubber spatula to stir until the cashews and coconut are completely coated with chocolate.
• Immediately portion the mixture by heaping tablespoons (approximately 1 1/2 ounces) for each cluster, onto waxed paper. Allow the clusters to harden at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm enough to handle. Store the clusters in a tightly sealed plastic container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

CASHEW CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Cook 1 1/2 cups sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan but not stirring, until dark amber, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 3 cups salted cashews. Pour onto an oiled baking sheet and separate into small clusters with 2 forks. Let harden.

NUT CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Prepare the caramel mou: Place the corn syrup, sugar and just enough water to melt the sugar into a saucepan and place on high heat. Cook until the sugar is very dark brown and begins to burn. You will see white smoke. Remove from the heat and add the 1-ounce of water. Allow this to cool slightly.
• Place the roasted nuts on a silpat baking mat lined baking sheet.
• Place the butter and cocoa butter in a large heat-proof mixing bowl.
• Prepare the caramel: Place the sugar, corn syrup, Caramel Mou, cream, vanilla bean, butter, salt, and lemon juice in a saucepan placed over high heat. Insert a candy thermometer and cook to 250 degrees F (121 degrees C). Remove from the heat and pour over the butter and cocoa butter. Let cool for 5 minutes. Spoon the caramel over the nuts to make the clusters.
• Place the bittersweet chocolate in a paper cornet or small piping bag and drizzle chocolate over the nut cluster. Serve.
• Jacques' tip: To make a more kid friendly recipe, use store bought caramel squares. Unwrap them and place them on top of the nuts. Put in a warm oven until the caramel melts.

RAISIN-ONI (CHOCOLATE RAISIN CLUSTERS)

Steps:

• For the simple syrup: In a saucepan bring 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water to a boil, stirring, and boil until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool syrup.
• For the Raisin-oni: Combine chocolate and simple syrup in a heat-proof bowl. Microwave for 1 minute 15 seconds, remove from microwave and stir to smooth consistency. Add raisins and 1 tablespoon water to the bowl and mix to completely cover all raisins. Using a spoon or small ice-cream scoop, scoop out raisins into clusters onto a waxed paper lined sheet pan. Once all RAISIN-ONI are formed, cover them with a sheet of waxed paper and plastic wrap, place in refrigerator and chill until firm.

CASHEW CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Place chocolate morsels in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
• Microwave on high for 1 minute.
• Stir.
• Microwave at additional 10-20 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
• Cool slightly.
• Stir in CRAISINS and nuts.
• Drop by t. onto waxed paper lined baking sheets.
• Store in refrigerator.

CASHEW CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.
• In a large saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring continuously until smooth.
• Stir in cashews.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper lined cookie sheets.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set.
• Store in a tightly covered container in refrigerator.
• Enjoy!

CRANBERRY CLUSTERS

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan or microwave, melt the chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in the cranberries and cashews. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE CASHEW CLUSTERS

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan over low heat, cook and stir the chocolates until melted. Remove from heat; stir in cashews and toffee bits. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes or until set. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE NUT & CRAISIN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Melt chocolate chips in microwave for about 2 minutes.
• Chips will not appear melted.
• However, stir them to distribute the heat and get them melted.
• Add nuts and craisins, stirring until well coated.
• Drop teaspoonfuls onto a wax-paper lined cookie sheet.
• Place into refrigerator for about 1 hour.
• Note: if doubling the recipe, microwave time does not double.
• Check chips at about 2 1/2 minutes and add small amounts of time until chips are melted.
• It takes a bit under 3 minutes for a double recipe in my microwave.

CASHEW CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Place first 4 ingredients in a large microwave-safe bowl; microwave, covered, at 50% power until melted, 5-6 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in cashews., Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper-lined pans; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

NUTTY RAISIN CLUSTERS

Steps:

• In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the walnuts, raisins and honey. Drop by tablespoonfuls into 15 mounds onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm.