My Nana's Homemade Almond Roca Recipe
My Nana's almond roca recipe is the perfect homemade holiday treat. A delicious buttercrunch toffee topped with melted chocolate and chopped almonds, this will become a family holiday favorite year after year.
Servings: 30
Equipment
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 pound almonds {blanched and sliced - divided} ~2 1/2 cups
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup {no substitutes}
- 1/2 pound salted butter (2 sticks)
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a 12x17 rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Place it on top of hot pads where it can rest undisturbed for 3-5 hours. The baking sheet will get very hot when the toffee is poured onto it.
- Pulse 1/4 cup of slivered almonds in a food processor or finely chop by hand. Set aside.
- Bring 1/4 cup water, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.1/4 cup water, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup corn syrup
- Add the butter, stirring gently. When it has melted, add the almonds.1/2 pound salted butter, 1 pound almonds {blanched and sliced - divided}
- Stir constantly until the toffee/buttercrunch has browned and it smells like caramel (~15 minutes. Be patient, it's a SLOW process.). The mixture will be very thick but keep stirring! If you're using a candy thermometer, it will be ready at 295˚F (hardcrack stage).
- Remove the pan from heat and using a wooden spoon, very quickly pour the toffee/buttercrunch onto the baking sheet lined with parchment, and spread it around as evenly as possible. Work quickly because it becomes hard to spread as it cools.
- Sprinkle the toffee/buttercrunch evenly with the chocolate chips, and allow them to get melty. Pro tip: If your kitchen is cold, lightly tent a piece of foil over the baking sheet to assist the melting process of the chocolate chips.12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Once the chocolate chips are shiny, use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread the chocolate evenly over the toffee.
- Immediately sprinkle evenly with the 1/4 cup of reserved finely chopped almonds.
- Place the tray in a cool place in your house and allow to cool completely. It can take up to 5 hours to cool completely. It has cooled when the chocolate on top is no longer shiny.
- Break into pieces and store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.
Notes
- There are no substitutes for the corn syrup in this recipe. In order to for your almond buttercrunch to turn out, you must use corn syrup.
- Important: for best results, make your homemade almond roca on a cool dry day. Additional humidity in the air can and likely will impact the quality of your toffee.
- To avoid the toffee separating, keep the temperature constant and avoid cooking the buttercrunch too quickly.
- If you don't have a candy thermometer, the toffee will be ready when it is a creamy beige color and it will smell like caramel. You'll be able to move a wooden spoon through it and the toffee will stay separated for a few seconds. See photos in the post above for a visual of what the finished toffee should look like.
Nutrition
Serving: 33g | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1.3mg