CHOCOLATE ALMOND BARK: Chocolate with Almonds Bark

As I've said many times before, every day is Chocolate Day for me, but today is National Chocolate with Almonds Day, so here's an easy recipe to celebrate. 

CHOCOLATE ALMOND BARK

Ingredients
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup toasted almonds (in the oven), coarsely chopped  (some people like them whole/your choice)
Sea salt

Directions
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Melt chocolate until smooth in top of double boiler or saucepan placed over another saucepan with simmering water.
Set aside 6 Tbsp almonds
Stir remaining almonds into melted chocolate.
Pour mixture onto cookie sheet. Spread to 1/2 inch thickness.
Sprinkle remaining almond pieces over mixture. Sprinkle sparingly with sea salt.
Tap pan on counter until bark is desired thickness.
Refrigerate for 6 hours or until firm.
Break into pieces.
Store in an airtight container in cool, dry place.

How easy is that?

TOASTED ALMOND TRUFFLES: Retro Ad with Recipe for National Chocolate with Almonds Day

Today is National Chocolate with Almonds Day, and what better way to celebrate than to make  Toasted Almond Truffles. I love this Retro 1985 Carnation/Nestle Recipe Advertisement. It's so easy. Of course, you can substitute your own very best chocolate in this recipe. Personally I prefer dark chocolate in these truffles.

TOASTED ALMOND TRUFFLES

Ingredients
1/2 cup undiluted CARNATION Evaporated Milk
1/4 cup sugar
One 11 1/2 oz. pkg. (2 cups) NESTLE Milk Chocolate Morsels (or your favorite chocolate)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted

Directions
Combine evaporated milk and sugar in small heavy-gauge saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Boil 3 minutes; stir constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in morsels and almond extract until morsels melt and mixture is smooth. Chill 45 minutes. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in almonds. Chill until ready to serve. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen truffles.

Velvet Almond Fudge Pie: Retro Ad & Recipe

Today is National Chocolate with Almonds Day, and this Retro Ad and Recipe from Jell-O and Blue Diamond Almonds for Velvet Almond Fudge Pie is the perfect way to celebrate!

Velvet Almond Fudge Pie

"This is an extraordinary pie — incredibly chocolatey, incredibly rich, with the delectable crunch of almonds. What makes this pie so deliciously chocolatey and so extraordinarily rich is the delicious chocolate flavor you bake in with Jell-O brand chocolate fudge flavor pudding and pie filling and chocolate chips. And you bake in the delicious crunch of Blue Diamond almonds, too." 


Ingredients 
1 cup almonds
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 unbaked 8″ pie shell
1 pkg. Jello brand chocolate fudge chocolate pudding pie filling
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted

Directions
Chop almonds and toast at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Set aside. Blend together until smooth; pie filling mix, corn syrup, milk, egg and chips. Add almonds and pour into pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees about 45 minutes or until top is firm and begins to crack. Cool at least 4 hours. Garnish with whipped topping, if desired.

Savory Chocolate, Almonds, Bacon: Chocolate with Almonds Day

Another day, another food holiday. Tomorrow, July 8,  is Chocolate with Almonds Day, not to be confused with Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day on November 7.

For a nice change, here are two savory chocolate with almonds recipes. They're both for chocolate with almonds--and BACON.

The first recipe comes from Food Network Star Chef Michael Symon. It's easy and delicious. Easy, is always the key word. I adapted this recipe to use dark chocolate. I like the taste better. But if you're a milk chocolate person, give it a go with Michael Symon's original recipe.

Chocolate Covered Bacon with Almonds

Ingredients
1 pound thickly sliced slab bacon
1/2 pound dark chocolate-65% or higher-good quality
1/4 pound toasted almonds

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Place bacon on a sheet tray and bake until crisp, about 25 minutes. Melt chocolate in double boiler over low heat. Dip crisp bacon in chocolate and place back on sheet tray. Sprinkle with almonds and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

I haven't tried the following recipe yet, but it looks sensational. The stuffing of the dates takes a little more time, but it's still a simple recipe. It's quite a chocolatey-variation on the more standard Devils on Horseback. This recipe was adapted from Jonathon Sawyer of The Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland and appeared on The TastingTable Chefs' Recipe the other day. It appears to have everything: sweet, salty, spicy!

DEVILS ON HORSEBACK

Ingredients:
12 strips of bacon, halved crosswise
24 dates, pitted
6 squares of bittersweet baker's chocolate, broken into shards
Fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt
12 marcona almonds, halved
½ jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300°. Arrange the bacon on a baking sheet and warm in the oven for 15 seconds, then remove and let cool. Turn the oven up to 400°.
2. Stuff each date with a piece of chocolate, a few grains of fleur de sel, half a marcona almond and a piece of jalapeño. Wrap each date with a strip of bacon (secure it with a toothpick, if desired) and place on a baking sheet, seam side down.
3. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until the bacon is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Be still my heart. I need a few more people here to try this, but I'll let you know when I try these. Likewise, let me know if you make this recipe. I can tell from the recipe that I want to eat them all myself.