Chocolate Covered Almonds

These are so easy to make and they come together quickly -- no baking required. The only hardship is waiting at least an hour for them to cool before they're ready to eat and store. You can substitute toasted, unsalted peanuts in place of the almonds if you'd prefer.

Chocolate Covered Almonds

(makes about 40 large clusters or 50 smaller ones)

1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 ounces (1/2 of a 4 ounce package) German sweet chocolate
2½ cups toasted, unsalted almonds or peanuts (do not substitute raw almonds; toasted almonds have necessary crunch)

Cut a length of wax paper about 24 inches long and place it on a heat safe surface (such as a granite counter top or wood table).

In a double boiler, melt the three chocolates together over low to low-medium heat. I don't own a double boiler so I use a large glass/Pyrex bowl over a metal saucepan filled one-third with water. See photo. You might be tempted to use the microwave to melt the chocolate. Don't. Melting in the microwave doesn't get the chocolate hot enough and then when you add the almonds the chocolate cools down and you won't have enough time to shape the clusters before the mixture gets too cool. Using a double boiler means the chocolate mixture stays warm in the bowl over the hot water, while you are busy dropping the clusters onto wax paper.

When the chocolate is completely melted, turn off heat and stir in almonds (or peanuts) until coated. Leave the mixture over hot water (in the double boiler or glass bowl); use a soup spoon to scoop out heaping tablespoons of the mixture and drop onto wax paper. The clusters I create are fairly large -- containing about 6-8 almonds each. You can make them smaller if you'd like. Allow to cool entirely before moving into a storage container, at least an hour. You will know they are ready when your fingers don't leave an impression in the chocolate.

No need to refrigerate, unless your home is unusually warm.