Make Chocolate Almond Buttercrunch Candy For The Holidays
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This delicious and wonderfully rustic Almond Buttercrunch Candy is a fabulous and thoughtful homemade gift idea or family treat. This yummy sweet treat includes some indulgent ingredients including almonds, chocolate chips, and vanilla.
This post is part of Create the Holidays (formerly Create Christmas) – a series of festive recipes, crafts, printables, and more on The Purple Pumpkin Blog!
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Almond Buttercrunch Candy
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions and ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
If you’re looking for a sweet treat to make this holiday season, look no further. Almond buttercrunch candy is fairly quick and easy to make and will be the perfect addition to any holiday dessert table.
This delicious classic candy recipe is sure to become a new family favorite. It is always a welcome treat during the holidays or anytime you need a thoughtful host/hostess or teachers’ gift.
The Create the Holidays (formerly Create Christmas) series on The Purple Pumpkin Blog is filled with free printables, crafts, recipes, and more for Christmas and the Winter Holidays! You can check out Create the Holidays from 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 and 2012 for tons of awesome Holiday ideas and inspiration!
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon or other stores if available online.
It may not include staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Dairy – Unsalted Butter
- Blanched Whole Almonds
- Sliced Almonds
- Chocolate Chips
- Corn Syrup – in the UK you could use Golden Syrup instead.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – always buy good vanilla as it really does make a flavor difference.
- Baking Soda – also known as Bicarbonate of Soda.
- Candy Thermometer – this is a vital piece of kitchen equipment when making candy. Part of the making of the candy needs to reach “hard crack” stage which you need a thermometer to indicate for you.
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Almonds
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is almonds, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Iced Cherry Almond Cookies
- Roasted Rosemary & Chilli Almonds
- Almond Macaroons – Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free for Passover
More Edible Gift Recipes
Looking for more recipes to make edible gifts? Check these recipes out next:
Recipe Tips
- Proper timing is one of the keys to success with this recipe.
- You’ll want to add the baking soda and vanilla extract to the hot candy mixture as soon as you remove it from heat.
- you’ll also want to have the ground chocolate chips ready in advance to spread on top of the hot candy mixture right away so it melts from the heat.
- Be sure to have all ingredients measured, prepped, and nearby before you start preparing this recipe.
How Do I Make Almond Buttercrunch Candy?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Almond Buttercrunch Candy
This delicious and wonderfully rustic Almond Buttercrunch Candy is a fabulous treat for the holidays!
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched whole almonds
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 1½ cup chocolate chips, divided
- 1¼ cup white sugar
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp real vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
- Spread whole almonds on a baking sheet into a single layer without overcrowding and place in the preheated oven for 5-6 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and push the whole almonds to one side of the baking sheet, as shown. Pour the sliced almonds on the other side and spread into a thin, even layer. Return the baking sheet to the oven for another 4-5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Place the toasted whole almonds in a food processor and pulse until only a few larger pieces remain. Set aside.
- Melt two tablespoons of butter in the microwave and set aside.
- Create a sling (overhang) from parchment paper, as shown, and line an 8” x 8” baking pan with it. Pour the melted butter onto the parchment paper and spread evenly across the bottom and the sides of the baking pan.
- Sprinkle half of the ground almonds onto the greased parchment paper, as shown, in an even layer and set aside.
- Pour one-half cup of chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high, stirring every 20-25 seconds until completely melted. Remove from microwave and pour the melted chocolate over the ground almonds. Spread into an even layer with a spatula and place in the refrigerator just until set.
- Add the remaining chocolate chips to the food processor and pulse until chopped small. Set aside.
- Place a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining butter, sugar, water, and corn syrup and stir continually for 5-6 minutes until the butter is completely melted.
- Stop stirring and add the candy thermometer to the saucepan (without touching the bottom) once the mixture begins to bubble. Reduce heat to just below medium and continue to cook until the mixture reaches between 290°F - 295°F/143°C-146°C (hard crack stage).
- Remove from heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract and baking soda. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and gently tap on the counter until the hot candy mixture is level.
- Add the ground chocolate chips in an even layer across the top and spread with a spatula until melted and smooth, as shown.
- Sprinkle the remaining ground almonds in an even layer on top, and finish with the toasted sliced almonds. Tip: Press down gently with your fingers to make sure the almonds adhere to the layer of chocolate.
- Place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, or just until set.
- Remove from the refrigerator and lift the parchment paper from the pan. Place the candy on a cutting board and carefully break it apart with the tip of a sharp knife into individual pieces as shown.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Enjoy!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 455Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 322mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 5gSugar: 52gProtein: 6g
This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Holiday Dinner!
You’ve made the dessert, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal for a holiday dinner party!
- Appetizer: Classic Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Glaze
- Soup: Slow Cooker Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup Recipe
- Salad: Apple Walnut Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Main Dish: Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe with Potatoes, Carrots and Green Beans
- Beverage: Jalapeño Cucumber Vodka Lemonade
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.