COOKING HOUR: Chocolate almond clusters recipe

chocolate-almond-clusters-r

Chocolate almond clusters or chocolate almond drops with sea salt just 4 ingredients to make this beautiful, delectable Valentine’s day treat.

I love almonds and raisin in chocolate. Both goes well with chocolate so I thought of making these chocolate almond clusters which can be prepared in 30 mins flat. With very less effort you can pull it off for your loved ones. Perfect as gifting too. Just couple of things to be done carefully otherwise easy for even beginners in kitchen.

Made this for Asianet’s Singapore taste episode and embedding the video, please ignore my weird stares at the camera Wish I have a big monitor in front of me to see myself how I look while in front of camera. The only reason I am so embarrassed to appear in front of camera

Now on to the recipe. This one is so easy to adapt and make your own version. Infinity possibilities example – peanuts, dried fruits like strawberries, raspberries or pistachios, walnuts or even mixed dry fruits and nuts.

Just make sure while melting chocolate no water should be in the chocolate and do not over melt the chocolate. Do it in optimum temperature and note the points before starting.

chocolate-almond-clusters

Easy eggless chocolate mousse recipe

Easy eggless chocolate mousse recipe with just 2 ingredients. With just whipping cream and chocolate, this mousse simple and easy to prepare.

Check out this recipe

Chocolate almond clusters | Easy valentines day recipes

Chocolate almond clusters or chocolate almond drops with sea salt just 4 ingredients to make this beautiful, delectable Valentine’s day treat.

1 cup chocolate chips (I used semi sweet)
1/4 cup almonds (roasted)
1/4 cup raisin
2 pinches of sea salt (optional)

Take one shallow bowl, that can fit over the top of a boiling pot. The bowl should be dry without water or moisture. Gather all ingredients needed.
Heat little water in the boiling pot and bring to boil. Place the bowl over it. It should not touch the water below as heat will be too much to melt the chocolate. Though I have used glass, I recommend metal bowl.
Put chocolate chips in it. Wait for a minute. No need to stir now, just leave it as such un-disturbed.
The chips in the sides will start to soften. Do not let all the chips to get softened. Take out once the chips in the outer starts to get softened.
Take off from heat and mix to melt the rest of the chips. If you touch the chocolate mixture, it should be warm to touch, if not, you can heat a little more so that the chips melt.
The chocolate should look silky smooth and glossy.
Add roasted almonds, raisin and fold in.
In a tray lined with parchment, spoon and drop about 1 tbsp of the chocolate mixture.
Sprinkle some sea salt over it. If the chocolate is melt in correct temperature, it should set in room temperature itself as it cools down. But you can just fasten the process by putting inside fridge for about 10 mins.

You can use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips anything you like.
Longer inside fridge, it will be not sticky as you take out. It depends on how much you correctly melt the chocolate too. If it is over melted/ use high heat, the chocolate will easily melt as you take out from fridge.
You can drop these clusters in muffin liners if you want.

Chocolate almond drops method:

Take one shallow bowl, that can fit over the top of a boiling pot. The bowl should be dry without water or moisture. Gather all ingredients needed.
Heat little water in the boiling pot and bring to boil. Place the bowl over it. It should not touch the water below as heat will be too much to melt the chocolate. Though I have used glass, I recommend metal bowl.
Put chocolate chips in it. Wait for a minute. No need to stir now, just leave it as such un-disturbed.
The chips in the sides will start to soften. Do not let all the chips to get softened. Take out once the chips in the outer starts to get softened.
Take off from heat and mix to melt the rest of the chips. If you touch the chocolate mixture, it should be warm to touch, if not, you can heat a little more so that the chips melt.
The chocolate should look silky smooth and glossy.
Add roasted almonds, raisin and fold in.
In a tray lined with parchment, spoon and drop about 1 tbsp of the chocolate mixture.
Sprinkle some sea salt over it. If the chocolate is melt in correct temperature, it should set in room temperature itself as it cools down. But you can just fasten the process by putting inside fridge (recommended) for about 10 mins.