Almond Butter Crunch
Brace yourself — this stuff is just like Almond Roca!
So, I sit down to write this post about Almond Butter Crunch and realize something’s missing . . .
You see, I like to write my posts as I’m enjoying the food which is the subject of the post.
What?! It just helps me zero in on exactly what it is about the food that I want to express to you!
. . . that’s why cocktail posts can be so much fun!
But today I have to write this post without nibbling on any remnants of Almond Butter Crunch.
Why?
Because I ate it all.
All of it.
Twice!
Folks! We’re talking about a pound of butter, two cups of brown sugar, two cups of chocolate chips and three cups of almonds.
Well, to be completely honest, Jeff ate some.
He didn’t exactly eat half, although he tells me he tried – apparently he was no match for my speedy candy-consuming skills.
And we gave the last small piece of the first batch to a visiting friend.
Ever since the second batch was gone, I’ve been gazing at my pantry wondering whether I have any more almonds in there. Or maybe I could try with walnuts instead?
Or maybe I should just stop.
I hopped on the scale this morning, prepared to accept the consequences of my choices. Instead, I am 8 pounds down from my “annual holiday horror.”
Maybe there’s something beneficial to filling up with butter, sugar, chocolate and almonds???
Adding almonds, chocolate and butter to my shopping list now!
So, depending on your level of will power, I recommend you plan to share this candy promptly with friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc.
It’s that good!
If you don’t already own one, grab yourself a candy thermometer. It’s important to bring the butter/sugar mixture up to 300°F so that the candy has the right texture and “crackability.”
Enjoy! – The Recipe Wench
Easy Almond Butter Crunch
Print recipe
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 10 minutes |
| Total time | 15 minutes |
| Meal type | Dessert |
| Slightly adapted from recipe on | Chef In Training |
Ingredients
- 1 Cup (2 sticks) butter, unsalted
- 1 Cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 Teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-1/2 Cups coarsely chopped almonds
- 1 Cup milk chocolate chips
Note
I recommend a candy thermometer for this. They cost less than $10. If you don't want to purchase one, see if you can borrrow from a friend. I adapted Chef in Training's recipe for Homemade Almond Roca. Bringing the mixture to 300°F allows the candy to crack into pieces easier and provides a better texture. I also got a little more specific on the sugar measurement -- my measurement for brown sugar is by "volume," not weight. A measuring "cup" of packed brown sugar will weigh about 6 1/2 ounces.
Enjoy! - The Recipe Wench
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| Line a 10 x 13 cookie sheet with foil. Spread chopped almonds over cookie sheet. Using a candy thermometer to check temperature, heat butter, brown sugar, vanilla and salt to 300°F in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk continuously so that mixture doesn't burn. This is going to take, probably, 10 minutes. The mixture might slow down around 200-250 degrees, then it will start to climb pretty quickly. Once the mixture has reached 300°F, pour it evenly over almonds -- it's okay if mixture doesn't cover the entire pan/all the almonds. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over mixture. As the chips melt, you can take a butter knife or spatchula and spread the chocolate around. If there are extra almond pieces, you can grab those up and sprinkle over the melted chocolate. Allow everything to cool completely and the chocolate to firm up. Then break candy into pieces. | |
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