Almond and Chocolate Clusters

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday ItalianEpisode: Cooking From the Heart

Rated: 3 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (48)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(48)

Cook Time:
15 min
Level:
--
Yield:
24 clusters

Times:

Prep: 10 min
Inactive Prep: 35 min
Cook: 15 min
Total:: 1 hr 0 min

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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

Directions

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.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Almond and Chocolate Clusters
Patty clarkston, MI 12-26-2009
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Should of read reviews!
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I was very dissapointed because they did not turn out at all! The caramel after all the tedious cutting of each one stuck to... the pan which i of course sprayed as directed. It took hours to get it all out of my muffin tins. They came out all crumbled and broken. My chocalte after adding the cream turned the consistancy of brownie batter. I had to throw everything out and had no homemade candy to bring to the family gathering. My fault for trying a new recipe at eight o'clock on christam eve night. Oh well, at least I had Paula Deen's apple caramel cheesecake bars! Everyone loves those!!Read more
recipe Almond and Chocolate Clusters
Chelsea Bakersfield, CA 09-13-2009
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we loved it!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

these were a cinch. i think maybe some of these people should buy better muffin tins so they don't have such a hard time. ... mine was great! $7 at target and it worked like a champ. don't forget to spray with nonstifck! and, how did Jaime get chocolate on the floor??? she should practice dipping fruit and stuff in chocolate. that isn't the recipes fault. well, when you make them you can definately only have 1-2 of these because of the sweet factor. my whole family thought they were great. happy eating!Read more
recipe Almond and Chocolate Clusters
Ryan Annapolis, MD 08-29-2009
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Not as hard as they make it out to be
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Use a greased silicone baking pan. Put them in the freezer for 5 to 6 minutes. They pop right out without the need for any... utensils. If your chocolate is turning to cement, add more cream and stir vigorously. Be sure that your cream is room temperature or even a bit warmer. My wife made this recipe and she does not cook or bake.Read more
recipe Almond and Chocolate Clusters
Olga L. Pleasantville, NJ 08-29-2009
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YUCK!!!
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

It's was very dissapointing the way they come out...they were a waste of time and I no for sure that had these were already... made with the help of the food network staff. That's a shame for them to actually do that. This was a waste of my time and money, the food network should reimburse everyone that just threw their money away trying to make this recipe that was not made my Giada......SHAME ON YOU FOOD NETWORK AND GIADA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A HUGE MESS!!!!Read more
recipe Almond and Chocolate Clusters
Jamie colbey, LA 01-03-2009
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A huge mess
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

They looked fantastic up until the chocolate covering. It was messy, and the clusters did not taste very good. I do not... recommend this. It was a HUGE mess and tons of chocolate covered the floor. It was a sticky recipe, and I am sad I even tried it.Read more
recipe Almond and Chocolate Clusters
Stephanie San Antonio, TX 01-02-2009
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Addictive
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I thought this recipe was so easy to make. My 5 year old helped me fill the muffin tins with the almonds and caramels. We... made it into a math exercise. The clusters were a tiny bit difficult to get out to the tins, but I used a knife to catch an edge and they just flipped right out. My only problem is that they are so delicious that they are addictive. For me, the clusters look exactly like they do in the picture. I feel bad for those of you who did not have good outcomes since these are so incredible.Read more