Whipped Ganache "Rocher-Style" Truffle Bombs

Whipped Ganache "Rocher"-Style Truffle Bombs

crunchy salted almonds, crisp snappy dark chocolate coating with smooth fluffy  whipped ganache surprise inside.

i must admit...these where an unexpected accidental delicious truffle treat.  i had a huge bowl of dark chocolate ganache frosting in the fridge and no cake...hmmmm...chocolate will not go to waste in this house.  i'll make truffles.
the interior, as you can see, is simply the whipped ganache.  the same you might use for frosting something like the unbelievable Black Magic Cake.  by the way...do check out the cake, it's a must for chocolate lovers.  with a quick dip in some tempered chocolate, a little roll in salted almonds and you're golden.  you've conquered the ultimate truffle.

if there's someone special, someone to impress or you're just in the mood for chocolate...suit up...put your creative hat on and give these a try.  put your own flavors together and see what delicious little ball of chocolate you can create.

WHIPPED GANACHE FROSTING 
or INTERIOR FOR ROCHE STYLE TRUFFLES

8 oz Guittard 70% bittersweet coverture chocolate discs

8 oz heavy cream

you could add an extract, a little cinnamon, some spice etc... if you want a different flavor other than pure chocolate.

NOTE...you can make as much as you want with a 50-50 ratio of chocolate to heavy cream.

heat heavy cream in a small sauce pan.  bring to a boil, remove from heat and pour directly into and over the chocolate.   allow to sit for 1 minute.  start to gently stir from the middle.  take your time.  you will see it magically come together with a beautiful shine.  stir until you have it all incorporated.  let sit on the counter for at least 45 minutes.  you are looking for a pudding consistency and ABOUT 70 DEGREES.  if you need to speed it up, refrigerate and stir every 10 minutes until pudding consistency.  put this in the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment.  start slowly and move the speed up to high.  you will see that it forms soft peaks after one minute.  keep a close eye so you DON'T OVER WHIP.  watch it until it gets just a bit more firm. you want frosting consistency.  do not over whip or you will end up with chocolate butter.  

NOTE...as stated...this was originally a frosting recipe that i stuck in the fridge.  i found the frosting recipe with some great visuals at Joe Pastry.com so please check out his helpful photos for the correct frosting consistency.

refrigerate until set.
these are a bit more difficult to ball up than a regular smooth ganache truffle...a little messy, but doable.  definitely worth the effort.  when ready to roll...use thin rubber gloves and a spoon or small scoop.  the ganache might seem "crumbly".  do the best you can to make a ball.  remember, the more you handle it, the more it will melt.  i like to quickly press the ball together with my finger tips.  make small balls and refrigerate while preparing chocolate for dipping.

MISE EN PLACE !!!

COVER YOUR WORK SURFACE

CHOP ROASTED SALTED ALMONDS

PREPARE COOKIE SHEETS WITH PARCHMENT

TEMPER YOUR CHOCOLATE

check link HERE for my instructions.

i use the easy microwave method similar to Alton Brown's seen HERE, but have adapted it slightly.  (Alton is thorough, but tends to complicate things sometimes.)
NOTE...i have only tempered 16 oz (1 lb.) of chocolate.  i am not a master, but any less might not come out perfect.  1 pound of chocolate will be too much for just these truffles.  SO...always have extra stuff (like nuts, cookies, chips, pretzels) or more truffles to dip and have fun with.  let no chocolate go to waste.

remove balls from fridge.  let them sit out for just a moment to take the chill off.  there is a fine line between cold and cool.  if too cold they with expand and crack after dipping and the outer layer has set.  if too warm they will loose shape.  

dip each ball in tempered chocolate.  lift out of chocolate with a fork, tap off excess and drop into bowl of chopped almonds.  carefully cover the whole thing and gently place on parchment

OR...you can place these into mini cupcake papers and sprinkle more almonds on top.

BIG NOTE...i was in a hurry so for the last few so i took a short cut.  i sprinkled a few almonds in the bottom of the mini paper cups, dropped the chocolate coated truffle in the cup and sprinkled almonds on top.  these are not shown here.  they're not quite as uniform, some almonds spill while eating, but it definitely did the trick, looked fabulous and tasted delicious.

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Greek Yogurt Lemon Tart with Rosemary Almond Crust

SWEET
TART
CLEAN
REFRESHING
GLUTEN FREE

sweet tart lemony citrus desserts are so refreshing especially this lovely tart with it's little rosemary kick.
i seem to forget about lemon desserts.  they get pushed aside for the dark chocolate, the savory peanut butter and the gooey caramel goodies.  i often post about bacon, chocolate, pig ears, pork belly and various decadent sweets and savories, but i bet you'd never guess... i actually DO eat a lot of yogurt, egg whites, grilled fish, steamed vegetables, aloe vera, kombucha, blah blah blah...
i call it my "yin and yang theory".
a little good and a little bad keeps everything in balance.

but...about this recipe...
i'd say it weighs in on the "good for you" side.  i found the original lemon rosemary tart on pinterest at Good Things Grow and pinned it to my "must-try" board.  i finally got around to it, but wanted to make a gluten free crust.  i am not gluten free, but i love to experiment and i have a few gluten free friends.
the original almond crust comes to you from Flourishing Foodie.  i love the almond flour crust idea so i just added the fresh dried rosemary...delicious.  the crust was crisp out of the oven and would be perfect served the day of, but alas...i needed to shoot the tart the next day so i stuck the finished product into the fridge.  the crust lost it's crunch, but was still a winner.  i would compare it to a cheesecake style crust.  it holds up and slices well, but got a little moist after refrigeration.  solution?...i added some crispy lightly toasted almond slivers to the servings and "voila"...the crunch was back in the mix..

Rosemary Almond Crust
Gluten Free
almond flour crust original found at Flourishing Foodie

2 cups almond flour
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
pinch of sea salt
1 1/2 tsp fresh oven dried rosemary
1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1 egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

preheat oven to 400F.  lightly butter a 9 inch tart shell.  i used a silicon pastry brush.

in a food processor add almond flour, sugar, salt, rosemary, butter, vanilla bean paste and egg white.  pulse until all ingredients are combined and start to stick together, resembling coarse meal...do not over blend...it will get mushy and ball up.

put mixture into tart shell and press out with your hands and form up the sides of the shell.  create an even layer.  i used a flat glass to lightly tamp  it down.  it will seem quite thin, but will cook to a nice crust as shown.

bake on middle rack for 15-20 minutes, or until it is light brown.  remove from oven and cool completely.

GREEK YOGURT LEMON VANILLA BEAN CUSTARD FILLING
original found at Good Things Grow

1 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 to 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

preheat oven to 350F
place yogurt, vanilla bean paste and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.  whisk in the egg, one at a time, then add the lemon juice and zest.  whisk until completely smooth.

pour into prepared tart crust.  i poured as much as i could and only had 1-2 Tbsp left over.
BAKE at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until the center is set and only slightly jiggles.  mine was in for 28 minutes and i could have pulled it at 26 minutes.  as you see i had a few cracks, but it was not over cooked.

allow to cool completely.  stick it in the fridge for just a slight chill and a complete "set"...i refrigerated mine over night and the crust got a little moist.  it resembled a graham cracker crust, but still delicious.  i think it would be best to slightly chill and serve the day of.  this tart served very well.  it might be a bit more crumbly (not a bad thing), yet...crunchy and crisp if served the day of.

You have read this article almonds / gluten free / greek yogurt / healthy / lemon / tarts with the title almonds. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2013/09/greek-yogurt-lemon-tart-with-rosemary.html. Thanks!

Rosemary Almond Salted Caramel Chocolates

ROSEMARY and CHOCOLATE...
FABULOUS COMBO
add some smoked salt caramel and roasted almonds?...done deal

just trying to squeeze in as many chocolates as possible before it's too late.  i'm obsessed with tempering chocolate, learning new tricks and trying new flavors.

 although chocolates make great gifts anytime of the year, this one looks and tastes very "winter holiday-ish".

if you temper your chocolate they will keep for quite a while and package up nicely with a little fresh sprig of rosemary...nice aroma burst when opening the bag.  there's no dipping involved and the only pain is going the extra step with the caramel center...but trust me, the oozing caramel is a fabulous hidden surprise.

BIG NOTE...if i have left anything out of the recipe or instructions in my mad dash to get this post done before X-mas...or you have any questions, please leave a comment and i will get back ASAP.

my measurments might not be exact...i tend to have all these things on hand during treat making time and sometimes i throw in extra here and there.

ROSEMARY ALMOND SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATES
makes about 25 depending on size

1 pound good DARK chocolate, tempered
1 cup (have extra on hand) roasted salted almonds, chopped
7-8 oz. Werther's chewy caramels
1 Tbsp cream
1 1/2 tsp fresh oven dried rosemary, minced as fine as possible
smoked salt
cumin

do your caramel first.  unwrap caramel pieces and put in a microwave safe glass bowl with 1 Tbsp cream.  melt in small increments and stir in between so as not to over heat...heat and stir until combined and liquid.  pour onto light sprayed parchment paper and sprinkle with a little rosemary, smoked salt and cumin.  put in fridge to set for about 1 hour.
when set...make small balls of caramel.  roll in a little bit of chopped almonds.  make about 30 of these small balls.  you don't want this ball too big because it has to fit in the cup and be covered with another layer of chocolate.  refrigerate caramel balls so they do not spread.  if they DO spread, just ball them up again before placing in chocolate.
NOTE...it's helpful to have the caramel balls separate and ready when the chocolate is ready.

put paper cups in a mini muffin tin...makes them stable and easier to deal with.  set aside.

temper the dark chocolate.  click HERE for "how-to microwave temper and Tips and Tricks information.
mix about 3/4 cup chopped almonds and about  1 tsp. of rosemary into tempered dark chocolate.
spoon a small amount into paper cups...do one tray of 12 at a time.  now put a small caramel/almond ball in the cup on top of chocolate.  push in ever so slightly.  cover with another spoonful of chocolate/almond mixture.  tap the tray on your work surface gently a few times.  if any caramel is showing add more chocolate mixture to cover.  you can sprinkle a few almonds and some smoked salt on top or just leave to set.  if your room isn't cold enough, put the chocolates in the fridge for about 15 minutes...then remove from fridge.  if tempered, they will be fine at room temperature.
ANOTHER NOTE...you might want to do a taste tester...make one up and stick it in the freezer for a quick set.  see if you need to add some more rosemary?...salt?
also...you might have left over caramel...but i'm sure you'll find a few takers to polish it off.

You have read this article almonds / candy / chocolate / sweet with the title almonds. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2012/12/rosemary-almond-salted-caramel.html. Thanks!

Spicy Dark Chocolate Bacon with Roasted Almonds

YES, chocolate bacon has been around for a few years...BUT if you haven't tried it...

YOU MUST PARTAKE IN THE PHENOMENAL FLAVOR COMBINATION AND SHARE WITH YOUR BACON LOVIN' FRIENDS !

if you have tried it and weren't too impressed, i guarantee this is far better than the pathetic scrap you paid big $$$ for at the local fair.  besides...you will amaze your friends with your chocolate making abilities.  there are still loads of people out there who haven't tried it and are in shock and awe with their new found love of the sweet savory chocolate covered pork belly bits.  when tempered correctly, it makes a fabulous gift and or party treat for any occasion.

the 3 main tricks to fabulous chocolate covered bacon are...
GOOD CHOCOLATE
TEMPERED CHOCOLATE
CRISPY BACON

A FEW TIPS AND TRICKS I HAVE FOUND HELPFUL FOR TEMPERED CHOCOLATES...

#1...buy GOOD "coverture"chocolate.  pay the extra $$$

#2...the room should be cold.  wear a sweater, but don't turn the heat or the oven on.

#3...mise en place!  get everything out you will need.

#4...chocolate is a messy job.  cover your work area.

#5...use microwave tempering method...no chance of water being introduced to your expensive chocolate.

#6...use a hair dryer to keep chocolate at working temperature.  again, no water is involved.

#7...use a larger bowl lined with a dish towel to place chocolate bowl in while working...the snuggle effect helps keep it warm.

#9...only put dipped chocolates in the fridge to set if necessary for about 10-20 minutes.  then remove.  you don't want condensation.

#10...have extra dipping stuff on hand because there is always that extra bit left that you don't want to waste.  pretzels, cookies, potato chips, fruit...your finger!

#11...keep finished items airtight in the coolest room of the house..even in the garage if necessary

FINAL TIP...websites i found VERY informative...

The Chocolate Doctor , About. com-candy, Alton Brown's Microwave Tempering

ALSO...i must add...i am NOT a professional Chocolatier 

SPICY DARK CHOCOLATE BACON with ROASTED ALMONDS

1 12oz package bacon, cooked crispy

1 pound good coverture Dark Chocolate, in discs or chopped

roasted salted almonds, chopped

red pepper flakes

smoked finishing salt

ground cumin and chipotle powder for cooking the bacon.

first get everything ready...put almonds, red pepper flakes, and salt in separate bowls for sprinkling on wet chocolate..  prepare a few cookie sheets with parchment to place dipped bacon.  get a hair dryer out and introduce it to the kitchen... you will use it to rewarm the chocolate if necessary.
think the process through so you are ready when the chocolate is ready.

cook bacon in the oven.  one layer on an aluminum lined cookie sheet.  start in a cold oven at 380 F approx. 25-30 minutes ( i use convection), turning once or twice.  drain off excess fat half way through and sprinkle with chipotle powder and cumin.  then flip all pieces over and proceed to cook until crispy.  drain fat again if necessary.  BACON MUST BE CRISP.  set the slices on paper towels and dab off excess bacon fat.  let cool completely.

EASY MICROWAVE TEMPERING...(dark chocolate)
adapted from Alton Brown's Microwave Tempering Method found HERE.  he uses "pure cocoa butter".  i find seeding with 1/4 of your chocolate quantity works well.

put 12 oz. of the DARK chocolate in a glass bowl.  set 4 oz aside.

microwave chocolate for 30 seconds.  STIR.  microwave again for 30 seconds...STIR.  one more time 30 seconds...STIR.  now microwave for 15 second intervals (should be 2-4 times) stirring between each run until it reaches 100 F.  STIR.  microwave for 10 second intervals (maybe 2-3 times) until it reaches 115 F for dark chocolate.

stir in the other 4 oz. of chocolate.  stir well with spatula, cleaning the sides of the bowl and incorporating the chocolate.  the fresh chocolate will soon melt and will bring the temperature down.  this process is called "seeding" i read that a lot of stirring helps bring back the sheen...so i stir well.  you are looking for 90 F degrees.  at this point your chocolate is dip-worthy.

at 90 F  place the chocolate bowl in another bowl lined with a dishtowel...this is to help keep your chocolate warm and snugly while working.  STIR chocolate periodically.  if it is getting too thick, take the temp.  give it a shot with the blow dryer and STIR to keep from getting hot spots.  do not reheat the chocolate too fast or too high.  it will lose it's temper.

start dipping.  let excess chocolate drip off and place slices on prepared parchment.  sprinkle with red pepper flakes and almonds while the chocolate is still wet....then a little finishing salt.  do about 4-5 slices at a time so you can get your toppings on before the chocolate sets.  stick in the fridge for about 10-20 minutes if necessary.  then let come to room temp before putting them in an air tight container.  do not close them up with condensation on them.

You have read this article almonds / candy / chocolate / spicy / sweet with the title almonds. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2012/12/spicy-dark-chocolate-bacon-with-roasted.html. Thanks!

Chocolate Pear Tart

MARTHA'S CHOCOLATE PEAR TART

sometimes Martha has a winner...and this is one of them.

or should i say "Martha's People"...

there's just NO WAY she comes up with all this stuff on her own.

YES, i DO fall into the "Martha vortex" every now and then and i'm not afraid to admit it.

i'm not going to shout it from the roof tops or buy her dinnerware at K-mart, but i sure wish i'd bought some of her stock when it plummeted a few years back.

when things turn out as good as this lovely tart, i assure myself it's OKAY to wander through the Martha recipes...no one's gonna get hurt until something turns out bad.

regardless of how you feel about Martha...good, bad or just don't care...

you should really try this super easy tart.

the base is done in the food processor, slice a couple of pears, bake and VOILA!

a delicious, beautiful tart to be proud of

and...a fabulous addition to the pumpkin, pecan and mince pie line-up that are always regulars at the party.

MARTHA STEWART'S CHOCOLATE PEAR TART

here's where to find the original with comments, but i have copied it for you below.

i made zero, zip...no changes...(well...i only used 1 3/4 Bosc pears instead of 3)

8 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp., plus some for the pan

1 cup blanched almonds

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)

1/2 tsp salt

3 firm, ripe Bartlett pears...i used 1 3/4 Bosc pears

1/2 lemon

2 Tbsp apple jelly...i used strained apricot preserves (Bonne Maman)

preheat oven to 350F degrees.  brush a 9 inch removable bottom tart pan with butter, set aside.

in a food processor, combine almonds and sugar...process until very finely ground.  add butter, eggs, cocoa, vanilla, salt and almond extract, if using...process until combined.

spread mixture evenly into prepared pan

peel, halve and core pears...cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices and rub them with lemon juice to prevent browning

NOTE...i used a small bowl of lemon water for the pear and then blotted them dry before arranging them on the tart

arrange slices on chocolate mixture, slightly overlapping, without pressing in.

place on a baking sheet and bake until top is puffed and toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached (be careful not to mess up the pretty top).

should be about 45-50 minutes.  cool completely in pan

briefly heat jelly or preserves in the microwave until liquefied...strain if necessary.  gently brush the pears with the jelly and set aside for at least 20 minutes.

remove tart from pan, and serve.  

slice with a very sharp knife and you will get pretty slices...take your time or you will drag the pears through with the incorrect knife.

You have read this article almonds / chocolate / dessert / easy / sweet / tarts with the title almonds. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2011/11/chocolate-pear-tart.html. Thanks!

Indian Spiced Nuts

i've gone NUTS !!!

sometimes you feel like a nut...

and sometimes you feel like A LOT OF NUTS !!!

 i'm addicted.  i have loads of them every day.  i even put these and the Mexican Spicy flavored ones on my yogurt and fruit in the morning.

i eat them with chocolate...i eat them with cheese...

i give them away in nice little jars...just so i can make MORE NUTS !

why nut?(not)...they're good for ya !

i've made these about 5 times so far, tweeking it as i go, and i think i've come up with a good flavor mix.  it might be a bit spicy for some, so i suggest you use your judgment...maybe leave out the cayenne and or tone down the chili powder.  by the way, as i mentioned in the recipe please don't use regular chili powder that you would add in chili.   it will over power the garam masala.  read the label and see that it is only ground chilies...i get mine at the Mexican market, Northgate in Santa Ana or the Persian market, Wholesome Foods in Irvine.

this method for glazed nuts using just 1 egg white (plus sugar and spices) seems to work really well.  as you can see, the nuts have a nice glazed look, but without the stickiness that can happen with heated sugars, syrup and/or honey.

it is so easy, i make up a few batches at a time and change up the flavors.  i've posted about the Mexican Spiced Nuts and will probably post about the Snickerdoodle Nuts soon...they get eaten up quickly.

INDIAN SPICED NUTS

3 - 3 1/2 cups raw mixed nuts...your choice

(i use pecans, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachio, pumpkin and sunflower seeds)

6-8 dried apricots, small diced...OPTIONAL...see note

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

1 extra large egg white beaten until white and fluffy

1 Tbsp garam masala

1 Tbsp chili powder...(you might use your discretion...it can get HOT)

REAL chili powder, not the kind you put IN chili...i use Mexican ground chili

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp ground ginger

a dash or two of yellow curry

a dash of coriander

1/2 tsp cayenne...OPTIONAL

2 full sprigs oven dried rosemary, crushed into pieces...see notes

fine sea salt to sprinkle before oven

preheat oven to 350 F degrees...throw your fresh rosemary sprigs in for a few minutes

lightly spray a baking sheet (with sides like a 1/2 sheet jelly roll pan) with non stick spray.  in a small bowl combine all the spices and sugar.  in a large bowl whisk the egg white until white and foamy.  add nuts to the egg white and about a 1/3 of the spice mixture...sir well to coat.  add another 1/3...stir to coat. finish with that last 1/3 and stir until it looks as though everything is evenly coated.  sprinkle in your crushed rosemary as you are stirring...you don't want this to clump into one spot.

spread evenly onto baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt.  bake for 20 minutes.  take them out and stir them up and separate them a little.  let them rest for a few minutes...then back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes....but watch them carefully so they don't burn.

i find that this second baking keeps them crisp and fresh longer and it dries out the moisture from the apricots.

TIP...do not store them until they are COMPLETELY cooled, but do not let them sit out too long either...they might get sticky.  if they do get a little tacky, just put them back in the oven for a few minutes, let them cool then store again.

NOTES...if using dried APRICOTS you must check them after baking to see that they have sufficiently dried up.  they will prevent the nuts from staying extra crisp and fresh if storing in jars...if you are consuming fairly quickly then they will be fine and they are a tasty addition.

OVEN DRIED ROSEMARY...this tastes much better than store bought dried rosemary  i like to use fresh rosemary and dry it out in the oven...a few sprigs on a sheet pan at 300-320 degrees for about 7 - 10 minutes...or throw it in as you are preheating.

store in airtight jars or containers.

i like to throw in one of those "stay-fresh" packets that come in some store bought snack items...you know, that annoying little packet that looks like sugar, but says DO NOT EAT.

not necessary, but my nutty brain thinks it helps.

You have read this article almonds / easy / healthy / Indian / nuts / savory / snack with the title almonds. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2011/08/indian-spiced-nuts.html. Thanks!

Spicy Mexican Glazed Nuts

Oooh...these unassuming little nuggets are...whew!...spicy 
and oh so addicting.

if you want a quick spicy sweet nut recipe, this is a great one.  they turn out really crunchy, slightly glazed and you don't have to do anything on the stove with molten sugar or syrups...a simple egg white along with your spices and a little sugar... in the oven, and the magic spicy glazed coating happens without fail.  these were such a hit with my spice lovin' friends.  i tend to make things a bit spicier than most can handle, and these were just right.  i must say...i used REAL MEXICAN CHILI POWDER.  not the wimpy stuff you buy at a regular market so mine came out extra spicy...AND i used the cayenne.  i suggest you use your judgement on the spices, but if you have a Mexican market near you do yourself a favor and buy the real stuff.  it's cheap and always adds a nice blend of spicy chilies to what ever you're making.

SPICY MEXICAN GLAZED NUTS

adapted from Big World-Small Kitchen and Epicurious

3 cups raw mixed nuts

(i used almonds, pecans, macadamia and walnut)

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg white beaten until white and fluffy

1 Tbsp chili powder

(i used REAL Mexican chili powder...whew!...spicy!)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 - 3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

preheat oven to 350 F...place rack in the middle

spray baking sheet with non stick spray.  in a small bowl combine sugar and spices.  in a large bowl whisk egg until white and frothy.  add nuts into egg white then add the sugar/spice mixture and stir until everything looks evenly coated

spread nuts evenly onto prepared baking sheet and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.

TIP... i took them out after 15-20 minutes and stirred and separated the nuts...then returned to the oven for approx. 10-15 more minutes.  keep your eye on them.  i think this second baking time helps to keep them crunchy.

TIP... do not store them until they are completely cooled, but do not wait over night to store them.  if they get a little sticky (they shouldn't because of the second bake) you can stick them back in the oven for a few minutes, let them cool, then store again.

TIP... store in a clip top glass jar with a rubber seal

TIP... also i saved some of those little stay-fresh packets you find at the bottom of other snack foods....you know that annoying little plastic pouch that says DO NOT EAT...DO NOT OPEN.  they look like sugar packets...i put one of those in the bottom of the jar if i have one available.  don't know if it does anything, but i made some nuts 2 weeks ago that are still good and crunchy.

trust me these won't last that long...you'll eat them all up, but i made a sweet glazed version for Dad and he doesn't eat them as quickly as i do

You have read this article almonds / easy / healthy / mexican / nuts / savory / snack / vegetarian with the title almonds. You can bookmark this page URL https://caucasiancurry.blogspot.com/2011/06/spicy-mexican-glazed-nuts.html. Thanks!

Apricot Almond Oat Bars

since my last post about the "Turkey Tails" was sooo long, i'll get through this one quickly.

i found this recipe while watching some Giada De Laurentiis show in the wee hours of the morning.  while half asleep i heard "healthy" and i heard "oatmeal".  two things i'm always looking for in a good morning snack.  well, i would NOT really consider this a "HEALTHY" recipe with a cup of butter and a cup of brown sugar, but they DO have a good amount of oats, almonds and i used whole wheat white flour...so all is not too too bad...some people would actually call this a "health bar".

the photo above was taken about an hour after baking...yummy, sweet jam gooey-ness with the crunch from the almonds, but kind of squish when you cut them into bars...even with a very sharp knife.

the photo below was taken after refrigerating to set.  i find this makes for cleaner cutting when they are chilled

APRICOT ALMOND OAT BARS

adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

for original check the link.  i made just a few changes that worked quite well.

FILLING

1 13 oz jar apricot jam...i used Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves

8 10 dried apricots diced into 1/4 inch pieces (about 1/3 cup)

CRUST

1 3/4 cup whole wheat white flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cardamon

a few grates of fresh nutmeg.  maybe a little less than 1/4 tsp

3/4 tsp sea salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 3/4 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup coarsely chopped almonds

1 cup unsalted butter...melted

1 egg room temperature...beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

preheat oven to 350 F.  spray or lightly butter a 9 x 13 inch metal baking pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment so it over hangs on 2 sides for easy removal

in a small bowl mix together the jam and the diced apricots.  set aside.

for the crust...in a large bowl (i did this in my electric mixer.  whisk or paddle works well) mix  together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, salt and baking soda.  stir in the oats and the almonds.  add melted butter, egg, and vanilla.  mix until incorporated.

using a fork or clean fingers, lightly press 1/2 dough mixture into the bottom of prepared pan.  try to make it so there are no holes.  using a spatula, spread the filling over the crust, leaving 1/2 inch border around the edge of the pan.  cover the filling with the other 1/2 dough mixture and gently press to flatten.

bake until light golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.  cool for about 1 hour.  cut into bars and store in airtight container or refrigerate.

NOTE...as i stated above, i like to refrigerate to set them a little before cutting.  this makes for a nice clean cut and they don't squish down and get all messy.

OH...WOOPS!  did i forget to say these are DELICIOUS !!!

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