cockroach clusters
I was annoyed tonight, so I made candy. I've made these a few times and find them very snack-worthy. They are meant to suggest cockroaches in their texture, not actually look like them. I think this is a good thing.
Clusters are clusters, none of this roach shaped cookie thing that the licensed candy makers have whipped up. I usually make a double batch because they're a bit too easy to eat, so there are about 7 dozen. The texture is appealingly diverse and the loose structure makes them perfect for nibbling. They contain dark chocolate, raisins, sliced almonds, toasted pumpkin seeds, and bran cereal, although just about everything can be changed up. Milk or white chocolate (the real thing!), chopped apricots, corn flakes, sunflower seeds, and slivered almonds, for instance. It's all about using certain things for their shape and certain other things for their texture, to make a squishy, chewy, crisp, and crunchy combination that also tastes good.
They're relatively healthful for candy when all is said and done because the actual quantity of chocolate is balanced by an almost equal quantity of nuts, raisins, and bran cereal. My recipe is here, and I use the "don't untemper the chocolate, fool!" method of melting the chocolate. They're very easy to make.
Clusters are clusters, none of this roach shaped cookie thing that the licensed candy makers have whipped up. I usually make a double batch because they're a bit too easy to eat, so there are about 7 dozen. The texture is appealingly diverse and the loose structure makes them perfect for nibbling. They contain dark chocolate, raisins, sliced almonds, toasted pumpkin seeds, and bran cereal, although just about everything can be changed up. Milk or white chocolate (the real thing!), chopped apricots, corn flakes, sunflower seeds, and slivered almonds, for instance. It's all about using certain things for their shape and certain other things for their texture, to make a squishy, chewy, crisp, and crunchy combination that also tastes good.
They're relatively healthful for candy when all is said and done because the actual quantity of chocolate is balanced by an almost equal quantity of nuts, raisins, and bran cereal. My recipe is here, and I use the "don't untemper the chocolate, fool!" method of melting the chocolate. They're very easy to make.