almond roca recipe
My grandmother called me the other day to dictate to me the recipe for my aunt's almond roca. It's the first thing to disappear from our boxes of Christmas cookies, and when I told my dad I was starting to make candy, he immediately requested this. So, when I'm done with grad school essays, I will make it.
aunt beverly's almond roca
1 lb butter (grandma: not margarine!)
2 cups sugar
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds (plain, not roasted, not salted)
1 cup finely chopped almonds
3 4.25 oz size hershey bars, broken up into small pieces
melt butter slowly in heavy 4 qt saucepan. Add sugar while stirring and boil for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY. Add coarsely chopped nuts, stir until hard crack using thermometer. (Have a backup stirrer because it takes so long.)
Pour into greased jelly roll pan, spread out. Break chocolate bars into pieces and distribute evenly across candy. When they hit the hot candy, the chocolate will melt. Smooth chocolate over entire pan. Sprinkle with finely chopped almonds. When cool, break into pieces using point of a large knife.
Enjoy!
note: though Beverly doesn't toast the almonds, toasting does make them easier to cut. It will only take a few minutes, so I think I shall.
aunt beverly's almond roca
1 lb butter (grandma: not margarine!)
2 cups sugar
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds (plain, not roasted, not salted)
1 cup finely chopped almonds
3 4.25 oz size hershey bars, broken up into small pieces
melt butter slowly in heavy 4 qt saucepan. Add sugar while stirring and boil for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring CONSTANTLY. Add coarsely chopped nuts, stir until hard crack using thermometer. (Have a backup stirrer because it takes so long.)
Pour into greased jelly roll pan, spread out. Break chocolate bars into pieces and distribute evenly across candy. When they hit the hot candy, the chocolate will melt. Smooth chocolate over entire pan. Sprinkle with finely chopped almonds. When cool, break into pieces using point of a large knife.
Enjoy!
note: though Beverly doesn't toast the almonds, toasting does make them easier to cut. It will only take a few minutes, so I think I shall.