Outrageous! Oven roasted, lightly sweetened almonds covered in cocoa powder. It’s a great gift idea and easy to double the recipe. The secret to this delicious treat, is in the quality of the cocoa powder. Good cocoa powder elevates your desserts. Many markets sell professional quality cocoa powder. I use Valrhona or Callebaut ground cocoa. Ghiradelli is a good choice too. For those wanting a sugar substitute, feel free to use xylitol instead of the powdered sugar.

• 2 cups whole raw almonds
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Place nuts on a parchment-lined cooking sheet or roasting tray. Toast the nuts in the oven until they begin to turn a little darker and give off a nutty aroma, about 10-12 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the sea salt, cocoa powder, confectioner’s sugar and the cayenne pepper, if using. Line a fresh baking sheet with parchment.

Transfer nuts to a medium sized bowl while still warm. Drizzle maple syrup over nuts and toss to coat. Return the maple coated nuts to the oven for another 5-7 minutes, until the maple syrup sets.

Transfer the nuts to a clean bowl and sprinkle with the cocoa powder mixture and toss to coat. Pour the nuts onto the new parchment lined sheet pan and let cool completely.  Store in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

Source: Sara Cohen (Verrill Farm)