Recipe: Chocolate Balls with Caramelized Almonds (candy, food processor)

CHOCOLATE BALLS WITH CARAMELIZED ALMONDS

TO MAKE THE CARAMELIZED ALMONDS:
Flavorless oil for the baking sheet
1 1/4 cups (9 ounces) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (2 ounces) water
1 2/3 cups (9 ounces) whole blanched almonds, at room temperature
FOR THE CHOCOLATE BALLS:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

TO MAKE THE CARAMELIZED ALMONDS:
Lightly oil a baking sheet with a flavorless oil.

Mix the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Use an unlined copper sugar-pot if you have one. Cook the syrup over medium heat, stirring once or twice, until the sugar dissolves. Put a candy thermometer in the pan. Wash any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water. Continue to cook, without stirring, until the thermometer reaches 248 degrees F.

Remove the thermometer, and turn off the heat. Add the almonds. Stir until the sugar syrup clumps and turns opaque. Over low heat, continue stirring until the sugar remelts and coats the nuts with a caramel-colored syrup. This will take about 20 minutes. If the nuts start to smoke, remove the pan from the heat for a minute, turn down the heat, and continue to cook.

When the sugar has melted again, carefully pour the almonds in the syrup onto the oiled baking sheet. Be careful -- the almonds will be very hot. When the candy is cool, break it apart. Store it in an airtight container (not in the refrigerator) until you are ready to make the chocolate balls.

TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE BALLS:
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water.

Use a food processor to grind the caramelized almond candy into a powder.

Mix the candy powder and the warm chocolate together. Drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the candies until firm, but bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes about 60
Source: A Sweet Quartet by Fran Gage