Salted Dark Chocolate Almonds

Dark Choc Almonds4.jpg — My sister introduced me to the Skinny Dipped almonds- and I polished off a whole bag in two days! Inspired by those, I decided to make my own version at home. I think I actually like these almonds even more than the Skinny Dipped ones- they are slightly saltier with a thinner, silkier chocolate coating. I toast the almonds, but you can make this with raw almonds too if you prefer that flavor. Since there are only a few ingredients, I highly recommend using good quality dark chocolate and salt.

Ingredients

6 oz raw almonds (~1.25 cups)

2 oz dark chocolate

1/2 tsp coconut oil

1/3 tsp pink salt (or similar high quality, non-iodized salt)

1 tsp cocoa powder (I used Dutch processed cocoa powder)

Directions

1. Optional step (Lightly toasting the almonds): Preheat the oven to 300 F. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a baking tray. Once the oven is heated, place the almonds in and bake for 8-10 minutes. They will start to smell nutty, but will not turn brown. Pull them out and keep aside until Step 3.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the dark chocolate, coconut oil, and salt for 15 seconds. Stir, then repeat heating and stirring at 15 second intervals until all of the chocolate is melted into a smooth liquid. Be careful not to overheat it or the texture of the chocolate will not be as pleasant.

3. Add the almonds to the melted chocolate. Stir well to ensure all of the almonds get coated with the chocolate.

4. Line a baking tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Carefully spoon the almonds one-by-one onto the silicone mat / parchment paper. Leave a little space between each one so that they do not stick together as they dry. After placing all the almonds on the tray, put the tray in the fridge for 20 minutes to help the chocolate harden. The almonds will look shiny before you chill them, and then will look matte after the chocolate hardens in the fridge.

5. Transfer the chilled, chocolate covered almonds to an airtight container. Add the cocoa powder to the container, cover, and shake to distribute. As long as your house is not too warm, the almonds can be stored at room temperature in the airtight container. Enjoy!