A Perfect Pairing: Almonds and Chocolate

in LUNCH / Recipe Redux / Recipes / SNACKS February 21, 2015March 6, 2017 0 comments

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Somewhere, hidden deep in the recesses of my pantry is my special stash of chocolate. It’s a secret because, well, I don’t feel like sharing it. No offense to other members of the household, but I just don’t think they would appreciate this little treasure like I do. I hold that stash near and dear to my heart. And thinking about it now, it seems rather ironic that I store it in an old trick-or-treating bucket that looks like a jack-o-lantern…totally classy and mature, I know.

I love chocolate and I have since I was little. Lots of good food memories come to mind when I think of chocolate. Because I love it so much, I suppose that could mean trouble for my waistline. But the good news is, I can control myself because I appreciate chocolate. I see chocolate as a fun indulgence or as a very lovely treat. Because of that, I try to enjoy it and savor it. That means I need less of it!

The ladies over at the Recipe Redux must have channeled my inner choco-holic when they came up with this month’s theme – our favorite pairing for chocolate. My mind of course went crazy with ideas. How about a mole? Or what about a twist on a ‘smore? When it came down to it, I decided upon a recipe that I felt would honor both the dietitian as well as the chocolate-lover in me. Reaching for almonds and my secret stash of chocolate, I bee-lined to the kitchen and got to work. I came up with a recipe that is the perfect snack or treat and one that highlights one of my favorite pairings: nuts and chocolate! Yum!

Spiced Almonds with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Author: Sara Haas
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 3 1x

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Description

These roasted almonds are a delightful blend of sweet and savory.

Ingredients

Scale

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon water
3 cups whole almonds
2 ounces 60% dark chocolate
Kosher salt for finishing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300’F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a small bowl whisk together the cayenne, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white and water together just until foamy. Add the almonds and toss to coat. Spread the almonds out onto the sheet pan and sprinkle with the spice mixture. Stir and toss to coat.
Place nuts in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the nuts cool on the sheet pan.
To a small sauce pot add the chocolate and set over low heat. Stir constantly until chocolate is completely melted. Using a small spoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the almonds. Sprinkle with additional salt as desired (Kosher or sea salt).
Allow chocolate to cool and harden before serving.

Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 30