ROSEMARY and CHOCOLATE...
FABULOUS COMBO
add some smoked salt caramel and roasted almonds?...done deal
just trying to squeeze in as many chocolates as possible before it's too late. i'm obsessed with tempering chocolate, learning new tricks and trying new flavors.
although chocolates make great gifts anytime of the year, this one looks and tastes very "winter holiday-ish".
if you temper your chocolate they will keep for quite a while and package up nicely with a little fresh sprig of rosemary...nice aroma burst when opening the bag. there's no dipping involved and the only pain is going the extra step with the caramel center...but trust me, the oozing caramel is a fabulous hidden surprise.
BIG NOTE...if i have left anything out of the recipe or instructions in my mad dash to get this post done before X-mas...or you have any questions, please leave a comment and i will get back ASAP.
my measurments might not be exact...i tend to have all these things on hand during treat making time and sometimes i throw in extra here and there.
ROSEMARY ALMOND SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATES
makes about 25 depending on size
1 pound good DARK chocolate, tempered
1 cup (have extra on hand) roasted salted almonds, chopped
7-8 oz. Werther's chewy caramels
1 Tbsp cream
1 1/2 tsp fresh oven dried rosemary, minced as fine as possible
smoked salt
cumin
do your caramel first. unwrap caramel pieces and put in a microwave safe glass bowl with 1 Tbsp cream. melt in small increments and stir in between so as not to over heat...heat and stir until combined and liquid. pour onto light sprayed parchment paper and sprinkle with a little rosemary, smoked salt and cumin. put in fridge to set for about 1 hour.
when set...make small balls of caramel. roll in a little bit of chopped almonds. make about 30 of these small balls. you don't want this ball too big because it has to fit in the cup and be covered with another layer of chocolate. refrigerate caramel balls so they do not spread. if they DO spread, just ball them up again before placing in chocolate.
NOTE...it's helpful to have the caramel balls separate and ready when the chocolate is ready.
put paper cups in a mini muffin tin...makes them stable and easier to deal with. set aside.
temper the dark chocolate. click HERE for "how-to microwave temper and Tips and Tricks information.
mix about 3/4 cup chopped almonds and about 1 tsp. of rosemary into tempered dark chocolate.
spoon a small amount into paper cups...do one tray of 12 at a time. now put a small caramel/almond ball in the cup on top of chocolate. push in ever so slightly. cover with another spoonful of chocolate/almond mixture. tap the tray on your work surface gently a few times. if any caramel is showing add more chocolate mixture to cover. you can sprinkle a few almonds and some smoked salt on top or just leave to set. if your room isn't cold enough, put the chocolates in the fridge for about 15 minutes...then remove from fridge. if tempered, they will be fine at room temperature.
ANOTHER NOTE...you might want to do a taste tester...make one up and stick it in the freezer for a quick set. see if you need to add some more rosemary?...salt?
also...you might have left over caramel...but i'm sure you'll find a few takers to polish it off.
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