Chocolate and Almond Clusters

[EmeraldSue]

These are great as a nibble with coffee, and also make nice gifts. The original recipe was published in the Adelaide Advertiser many years ago and I have made them many times since. This recipe can easily be halved if you don't want to tempt yourself too much. They are also gluten free.

Ingredients:
250g slivered almonds
90 g pure icing sugar
30 ml Cointreau
300g dark or milk chocolate

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160C
2. Place almonds, icing sugar and Cointreau in the bowl and knead/interval setting for 10 seconds or until combined
3. Spread onto baking paper on a tray and bake in oven for 10-15 minutes until nuts are toasted and starting to colour, and the sugar is crystallised.
4. Leave to cool and break into clumps.
5. Melt chocolate and mix through the almond clumps.
6. Spoon small clusters onto baking paper and leave to set. Store in an airtight container.


 

Members' comments
Uni - Ii make them with whole almonds.

CC - Slivered almonds unavailable in the UK, will flakes almonds be OK?

Uni - CC I have made them with flaked almonds, just be extra careful when stirring.

AliRo - any thoughts on what I could put in instead of cointreau?  We don't have alcohol in this house so I'm not sure what I could sub it for?

Answers given  - orange juice, orange water or a small amount of orange oil.

ES - I took them to a birthday lunch and they were so popular that there weren't any left for me. (I should have kept one at home just for me). I often make them at Christmas time and give them as gifts. I will try Uni's idea of whole almonds too.
The cointreau is used to moisten the icing sugar so it sticks to the nuts and helps crystallise the sugar. There is just a subtle orange flavour from the Cointreau, so I think that orange juice or water with a little orange oil would work instead of the Cointreau .

Courton - Well I used Sambucca and taste wise, it is good.

[judydawn]

I like the special ingredient in there ES 

[Cornish Cream]

For some reason you can't buy slivered almonds in the UK. Might have to use flaked almonds Thanks ES

[fundj&e]

CC i have made them with flaked almonds, just be extra careful when stiring

[Cornish Cream]

CC i have made them with flaked almonds, just be extra careful when stiring

Thanks Uni 

[fundj&e]

i make them with whole almonds

[Cornish Cream]

i make them with whole almonds

Brilliant thinking

[AliRo]

any thoughts on what I could put in instead of cointreau?  We don't have alcohol in this house so I'm not sure what I could sub it for?

[judydawn]

AliRo, cointreau is an orange flavoured liqueur so I would substitute it with fresh orange juice

[faffa_70]

... or orange water or a small amount of orange oil 

[Amy :-)]

Yummmmy, thanks ES!! I might add these to my list of recipe ideas for that bake sale I'm eventually going to get to do

I will also be substituting for the cointreau, so thanks AliRo for asking that question I will use OJ

[dede]

If I made these I would eat the whole lot by myself , I love chocolate and nuts yum yum

[Amy :-)]

If I made these I would eat the whole lot by myself , I love chocolate and nuts yum yum

 
Mandi, if I ate all these myself, I would:
a) Not make any money
b) Get really fat
c) Have to hide all evidence that I ever made them, otherwise everyone else would be really jealous
d) Probably be sick
e) Feel like a piggy wiggy *snort*

But I would very happy to make them, enjoy a couple, and share the rest with everyone!!

[dede]

Bugger that Amy, I wouldn't share with anyone. They are all mine lol

[Amy :-)]

Bugger that Amy, I wouldn't share with anyone. They are all mine lol

Lol I can tell you're a mother of five Mandi