Ingredients
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1 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt
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1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
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1 cup Mandelin Natural Whole Almonds, roasted
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1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
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2 tablespoons water
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1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Secure a long piece of parchment paper, so it doesn’t slide, on a non-stoned surface (no marble or stone countertops, it’s too cold) or use a silpat (which is ideal).
Add fleur de sel or sea salt and rosemary into a mortar and pestle and finely grind.
Heat oven to 300 degrees F.
Arrange the almonds onto a small-rimmed baking sheet and warm through, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the sugar, water and lemon juice into a 2 1/2-quart pot. Don’t stir.
Bring the mixture to a rapid bubble over medium-high heat. When the bubbles are vigorously breaking the surface, about 2 to 3 minutes, gently tilt the pot to one side and insert an instant read thermometer. Once it reaches 240 degrees F, add the warmed almonds and immediately stir to coat, using a rubber spatula.
Quickly remove and pour the almonds onto the prepared parchment paper or silpat and immediately pull them apart, using two forks. Once it starts to cool, which happens quickly, stop pulling and separating or it’ll cloud the candy and they won’t be shiny.
Allow the salted caramelized nuts to fully cool at room temperature, several hours. Then break them apart into pieces or clutters.
Recipe Note
Makes 1 cup.
Created by Shereen Pavlides for Almond Board of California.