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SPICED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE NUT CLUSTERS!

makes about 24 2-inch clusters heavily adapted from Bon Appetit’s caramelized nut tart

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ cup toasted walnuts roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup toasted pecans  roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup toasted hazelnuts roughly chopped
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground vanilla or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
  • flaky sea salt for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350º. In a medium saucepan, combine whipping cream, sugars, and honey. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugars and honey into liquid. Continue to boil another 4-5 minutes, until the mixture darkens a bit and thickens slightly. Remove from heat, and stir in toasted chopped nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, salt, and pepper.
  • Scoop about 2 tablespoons at a time into nonstick tart or muffin tins. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the caramel is bubbling and darkened slightly. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack until pan is cool to the touch, then place in fridge or freezer to cool further.
  • While caramel clusters are cooling, fill a sauce pan with 2 inches of hot water and nest a heat-proof glass bowl over the top. Bring water to a boil. Place chopped chocolate into the glass bowl and stir continuously until the chocolate melts. Place melted chocolate in a squeeze bottle with nozzle tip if you have it, or keep in the bowl and use a spoon to drizzle.
  • Once the caramel clusters are cool and hardened, use a knife to free them from their molds. Don’t be alarmed if it’s a bit tricky—just skirt the knife around the edges and work your way under and out.
  • Place clusters upside down on a wire rack or sheet of parchment paper, and drizzle or spoon a thin layer of melted chocolate over the base, smoothing outward as you go. When finished, place clusters in the fridge for 5 minutes to harden the chocolate. Remove, flip over, and drizzle remaining chocolate over the top. Finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Return to fridge to cool for 5 minutes, then enjoy!
  • Keep refrigerated for optimal chewy enjoyment.