Taffy Chocolate Covered Almonds Food

TAFFY CHOCOLATE COVERED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
• Place taffy candy pieces onto a microwave-safe plate, and heat in microwave oven until warm and soft, 5 to 10 seconds. Check after 5 seconds to prevent candy from becoming too hot.
• Place a warmed taffy piece onto a flat work surface and pat out to form a 1 1/2-inch circle.
• Cut the circle into quarters.
• Place an almond onto each quarter-circle, and enclose the almond in the taffy. Repeat for remaining taffy and almonds. Let the taffy-covered almonds cool.
• Place chocolate chips into a small microwave-safe bowl, and heat chips in microwave oven until shiny and beginning to melt, about 10 seconds. Stir, then repeat microwaving and stirring in 5-second intervals until the chocolate is warm and smooth.
• Dip each taffy-wrapped almond in chocolate, place onto the parchment paper, and allow to set until the chocolate is hardened, about 20 minutes.

CHOCOLATE COVERED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds for 15 minutes on a baking sheet. Line two baking pans with parchment paper; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water, toasted almonds, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar becomes golden and granular and almonds are completely coated and separated. Pour nuts onto prepared pans. Chill in freezer, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place chocolate in a medium bowl; place bowl over simmering water until melted. Transfer half the chilled almonds to a large bowl, and pour half the melted chocolate over nuts. Stir until nuts are thoroughly coated. Transfer nuts onto prepared baking pan. Using two forks, separate nuts so none stick together. Return almonds to refrigerator until chocolate has set, about 20 minutes. Repeat with remaining almonds.
• Place cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar into two separate bowls. Toss half the nuts in cocoa and half in sugar, and gently tap off any excess powder. Store separately in airtight containers for up to 1 month.

ALMOND TOFFEE

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of a 15x10x1-in. pan with foil. Grease foil with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside., In a large heavy saucepan, melt remaining butter. Add the sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 290° (soft-crack stage)., Pour into prepared pan. Cool for 4 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips; let stand for 3 minutes. Spread melted chocolate evenly over candy. Sprinkle with almonds; press down lightly. Cool until chocolate is firm. Break into bite-size pieces. Store in airtight containers.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED ALMOND TOFFEE BARS

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spread nuts on a baking tray and bake until toasted, 10 to 15 minutes, turning nuts after 7 to 8 minutes to ensure even toasting. Cool and chop coarsely. You should have about 2 cups. Set aside. Clean baking tray and coat with vegetable oil or vegetable oil spray. Spray both sides of the offset spatula with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.
• Make the toffee: Place sugar in a small deep saucepan. Add the corn syrup and water or rum and, over medium heat, bring to a boil. Let boil until large bubbles form on the surface, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover with foil and boil 5 minutes longer.
• Add the pieces of butter and continue cooking, uncovered, over medium heat until temperature reaches 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 30 minutes. (The candy thermometer has a clip on the side that can be slid up or down. If desired, you can fit the thermometer on the side of the pan, making sure that it rests in the mixture, not on the bottom of the pan, so that the reading is accurate.) Remove from heat and immediately add the salt, baking soda, and 1 cup of chopped nuts. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
• Pour the toffee mixture on the oiled baking tray and, using the offset spatula, spread the mixture out, making a block about 10 by 13 inches. The toffee will thicken very quickly, so work as fast as you can. When cool, blot some of the oil or vegetable spray with a clean towel.
• While the toffee mixture is cooling, melt the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl placed over simmering water. When almost melted, turn off heat and let the chocolate continue to melt, stirring occasionally. Keep warm.
• When you can lift up the block of toffee, transfer it to a flat work surface or to a clean baking tray. Pour the melted chocolate over the toffee, spreading to cover the entire surface and, before the chocolate cools, sprinkle with the remaining chopped nuts. If the chocolate takes a long time to harden, refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set the chocolate.
• Return the block of toffee to the work surface and break up into pieces approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide. Then cut into smaller pieces, as desired. Use as needed.

CHOCOLATE TAFFY

Steps:

• In heavy medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add corn syrup, water, and vinegar to pan and place over medium heat. Stir until sugar and cocoa dissolve, raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low, clip candy thermometer to side of pan and cook until mixture reaches 260 degrees F. Remove pan from heat, add the butter and stir. Butter edges of sheet pan, line with silicone baking sheet and pour on taffy. Allow to cool until you are able to handle it.
• Once you are able to handle the taffy, don vinyl gloves, butter them, and begin to fold taffy in thirds using the silicone mat. Pick up taffy and begin to pull folding the taffy back on itself repeatedly twisting as you go. Taffy is done when it lightens in color, takes on a sheen, and becomes too hard to pull. Roll into log, cut into fourths, roll each fourth into a 1-inch wide log, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Making sure to keep pieces separated or they will stick to each other. Wrap individual pieces of candy in waxed paper. Store in airtight container 3 to 5 days.

CHOCOLATE TAFFY

Steps:

• Line a heavy baking sheet, not a cookie sheet it should have sides, with a heat proof silicone mat or grease generously with butter. Lay the sheet on a heatproof surface.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and water until the mixture thickens, then pour through a mesh strainer into a heavy 6 quart non stick pot. Add the sugar, corn syrup, butter, vinegar, baking soda, and salt and whisk to combine. The mixture should not fill more than half the pot as it will boil and rise during cooking. Boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally during the first 5 to 10 minutes (when mixture is foamy), then do not stir (mixture will bubble vigorously, but settle in the pot). Continue cooking until an instant read thermometer registers 250 degrees (about 15 to 20 minutes), stir in 2 tablespoons of butter until combined, and carefully pour into prepared pan without scraping the pot.
• Using a lightly buttered metal pastry scraper or wooden spoon, begin to fold the cooler edges of taffy onto the center (The taffy will become firmer on the edges after a few minutes, but the heat will be concentrated in the center). Taffy will be very soft initially and seem like a thick liquid. Avoid scraping the bottom of the pan.
• When taffy is still hot but cool enough to handle, butter your gloved palms generously and gather taffy mass in your hands (you may need to use the scraper to help you). Begin to "pull" taffy in an even thickness by stretching the mass about 1 foot apart in both hands. (taffy may seem very soft and sticky). Bring both ends of taffy back to each other to form a loop and pull, stretching your arms slightly. Twist the end if you like and bring it back to the top. Taffy may feel very soft at first, but it will begin to get harder to pull. Continue pulling until the taffy is lighter in color and has a satin-matte sheen (it will look somewhat like rope) but remains soft and pliable, about 10 minutes (temperatures and humidity may vary and take longer).
• When it cools to room temperature, transfer to a clean cutting board and divide into quarters using a heavy knife. Dust lightly with confectioners sugar, roll or stretch the taffy into a log about 3/4 inch wide, and cut into 3/4 inch long pieces. If knife becomes sticky grease knife with butter. Wrap each piece of taffy in waxed paper and store in air tight container. Taffy will stay fresh for 1 week in a container.

TAFFY CHOCOLATE COVERED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
• Place taffy candy pieces onto a microwave-safe plate, and heat in microwave oven until warm and soft, 5 to 10 seconds. Check after 5 seconds to prevent candy from becoming too hot.
• Place a warmed taffy piece onto a flat work surface and pat out to form a 1 1/2-inch circle.
• Cut the circle into quarters.
• Place an almond onto each quarter-circle, and enclose the almond in the taffy. Repeat for remaining taffy and almonds. Let the taffy-covered almonds cool.
• Place chocolate chips into a small microwave-safe bowl, and heat chips in microwave oven until shiny and beginning to melt, about 10 seconds. Stir, then repeat microwaving and stirring in 5-second intervals until the chocolate is warm and smooth.
• Dip each taffy-wrapped almond in chocolate, place onto the parchment paper, and allow to set until the chocolate is hardened, about 20 minutes.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED ALMOND TOFFEE

Steps:

• Pulse almonds in a food processor until coarsely chopped, then transfer to a small bowl. Pulse walnuts in food processor until finely chopped and set aside.
• Finely chop 1 bar of milk chocolate and 1 bar of bittersweet chocolate with a large knife, then combine in a bowl. Repeat with remaining 2 chocolate bars and combine in another bowl.
• Butter a large baking sheet and put on a heatproof work surface. Bring butter, sugar, and water to a boil over moderately high heat, whisking until smooth, then stirring occasionally, until mixture is golden and registers 300°F on thermometer, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Immediately stir in almonds, then carefully pour mixture onto center of prepared baking sheet (use caution when pouring hot liquids). Spread toffee into a 15- by 12-inch rectangle (1/4 inch thick) with a heatproof spatula, smoothing top, and let stand 1 minute, then sprinkle 1 bowl of chopped chocolate evenly on top of hot toffee. Let stand until chocolate is melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread chocolate evenly using a heatproof rubber spatula or an offset metal spatula. Sprinkle half of walnuts evenly over melted chocolate, then cover with a sheet of wax paper or parchment.
• Wearing oven mitts, invert second baking sheet over toffee and carefully invert toffee and sheet. If toffee does not release itself, use a spatula to loosen it. Sprinkle remaining chocolate on top to melt, then spread (as above) and sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Place a sheet of wax paper or parchment on top and press lightly to help nuts adhere. Freeze toffee on baking sheet until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. Break toffee into pieces, then transfer to an airtight container and keep at room temperature.

GREEK KOUFETA (WEDDING ALMOND "TAFFY" FROM CYCLADES ISLANDS)

Steps:

• Pour the honey, brandy, and orange blossom water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir, reduce the heat, and gently boil until the mixture is the color of burnished mahogany and spins off a spoon, 240°F on a candy thermometer, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the almonds and bring to a boil again. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool until it is no longer bubbling. Turn it out onto a large plate, allowing the almonds to spread out evenly. Cool until the mixture is thick enough to spoon up in "globs," several hours or overnight.
• To serve, offer each diner a clean spoon or knife as you pass the platter of koufeta around. Each person slides the knife or spoon into the taffy and spins the implement until a scoop of the koufeta takes hold. The koufeta is then eaten off the knife or spoon. Serves 10 to 20.
• NOTES: Koufeta will keep, covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Some villages add a little toasted sesame seed in the koufeta mixture or sprinkle it on top once the mixture is poured onto the platter.
• Adventures in Greek cooking.