Food Network: Almond and Chocolate Clusters

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Almond and Chocolate Clusters
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) toasted slivered almonds
24 individually wrapped caramel candies (about 6 ounces)
1 cup (about 6 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips
4 to 6 tablespoons cream, room temperature, divided
1 cup (about 6 ounces) white chocolate chips

Special equipment: 2 mini muffin tins

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease the mini-muffin tins with vegetable oil spray. Place 1 teaspoon of
slivered nuts in each of the muffin cups. Unwrap the caramel candies, cut each
candy into quarters and place 4 quarters (1 candy) in each of the muffin cups on
top of the nuts in a single layer. Bake in the oven until the caramel is just
melted and beginning to spread, about 8 minutes. Be careful not to over melt the
caramel or it will bubble, burn, and become too hard. Place the mini muffin tins
in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to cool. Remove the nut clusters from the tins
and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Wisk 2
to 3 tablespoons of cream into the chocolate to slightly thin the chocolate for
coating the clusters. Dip half of the nut clusters in the bittersweet chocolate
and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Return the clusters to the
refrigerator to harden, about 30 minutes.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Wisk 2 to 3 tablespoons
of cream into the chocolate to slightly thin the chocolate for coating the
clusters. Dip remaining half of the nut clusters in the white chocolate and place
on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet with the other chocolate-covered
clusters. Return the clusters to the refrigerator to harden, about 30
minutes.