June 29th is National Almond Buttercrunch Day!
A butter crunch (also known as a butter crisp) is a crunchy confection that you cook to at least 290 degrees F. This candy is similar to toffee (a crispy confection that contains a lot of butter and sugar), but it contains slightly less butter. (Source)
I am really liking this candy! It is lighter in texture than toffee- I think, due in part to adding baking soda to the candy. This would be a fun recipe to play around with, as far as the chocolate and nuts…white chocolate and macadamias?…dark chocolate and pistachios? I know I want to try it with milk chocolate and honey roasted peanuts!
Chocolate Almond Buttercrunch
Recipe from David Lebovitz
2 cups toasted almonds, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
heavy pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sprinkling of sea salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Lightly oil a baking sheet (or jelly roll pan- make sure it has sides), with vegetable oil. Note: I used 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil and a paper towel to distribute it. Sprinkle on 1/2 of the chopped nuts, spreading them out evenly. David’s recipe says to spread the nuts out making an 8 x 10 inch area. My area was bigger, so the candy ended up a little thinner (which was fine with me!).
In a medium-sized sauce pan, combine the water, butter, pinch of salt, sugar, and light brown sugar. Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, until a candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the baking soda and vanilla (be careful, the baking soda will make the candy bubble up). Pour the candy mixture evenly over the chopped nuts. Let this rest for 1 minute, then sprinkle on the chocolate chips. Let rest for 2 or 3 minutes, in order for the chocolate to melt, then spread the chocolate evenly over the candy. Lightly sprinkle on the sea salt and the remaining almonds. Cool completely, then break into pieces. Enjoy!
Made with love, not calories!
