Email to Bones      

Recipe Categories: billk54's HOME PAGEAPPETIZERS Appetizers_2 BBQ BEVERAGES Beverages_2 Biscuits BREAD Bread_2 Bread_3 BREAKFAST Breakfast_2 Breakfast_Fruit CAKESandPIES Cakes_Pies_4 Cakes_Pies_6 Cakes__Pies_2 Cakes__Pies_3 Cake_Pies_5 CANDY CASSEROLES Casseroles_2 Chicken Chicken_2 Chicken_Wings Chinese Christmas Christmas_2 COOKIES Cookies_2 Cookies_3 CookingTerms Cooking_Tips Cookout CROCKPOT Crockpot_2 DESSERTS Desserts_2 Desserts_3 DIABETIC Dips Doughnuts EasterBread EGGS ETHNIC FISHandSEAFOOD FoodSubstitutes FROSTINGS Gelato Gifts_in_a_Jar Italian Italian_2 JAMSandJELLIES LOWFAT Magic_Bullet_Recipes MARINADES Measurements MEATS Meats_2 Misc Pampered_Chef_Recipes PASTA PASTASALAD PASTRIES Pastry_Crusts Pickles PIZZA Potatoes POULTRY RICE SALADandDRESSING Salads_Dressings_2 SANDWICHES SAUCES Seasining SNACKS SOUPSandSTEWS Spreads Stuffing Trifle VEGETABLES

Choco-Clusters w/ Hazelnuts & Almonds




Source of Recipe


Internet


List of Ingredients




½ pound shelled hazelnuts, sliced in half crosswise
½ pound shelled almonds, sliced in half crosswise
2 pounds semi sweet chocolate
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup multicolored candy sprinkles


Recipe



1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spread the nuts out on a large baking pan and roast for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool

3. Fill a large saucepan with water so that it is three-quarters full. Place another pan-or a bowl or the top of a double boiler-on the water. Add the chocolate, cover and cook on medium heat until the chocolate has melted. Stir in the nutmeg and remove the top pot from the boiling water.

4. Add the nuts and stir to mix. Let the chocolate mixture stand at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours or until slightly thickened.

5. Drop by tablespoons onto a baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with candy sprinkles and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator, then remove the clusters from the baking sheet. Wrap the clusters tightly in aluminum foil then place them in a cookie tin. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Chocolate clusters can be made up to 3 to 4 weeks in advance.

VARIATION:
You can make dried fig clusters instead of using the nuts. To do so, proceed as recipe directs to step 4. Use a skewer to prick the dried figs and submerge them into the cooled chocolate. Transfer the dipped figs to a flat baking dish, remove the skewer and replace it with a decorative toothpick. Place the finished figs 2 inches apart onto the baking sheet and refrigerate for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

TIP: Keep the chocolate clusters wrapped tightly in a cool, dry place so that they will not discolor or lose their shine. (When chocolate is stored at warm temperatures, the cocoa butter may rise to the surface and can cause discoloration.)