Almonds on their own are good but add a bit of sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and cayenne pepper and they are even better.
I was looking for a festive dish to serve these almonds in and found this cute little bowl in our basement storage. The red interior was perfect for the holidays but the exterior was in need of some silver polish. I soon discovered that it said Copley Plaza 1912 and was made by Reed & Barton (a former silversmith company based in Massachusetts). The Copley Plaza opened in Boston in 1912 – this bowl likely dates from the 1950s.
It came from my Great Aunt Jean P who lived in the Boston area for most of her life. In her younger years she spent many a fun evening at ‘The Copley’ (said in a good Boston accent) and used to take me there when I’d visit as a child. It made me smile thinking about Aunt Jean while I was cleaning this bowl.
Aunt Jean was fabulous at making dinner reservations – she had a few Boston favorites that we always went to when I visited – but not at cooking. She passed away a few years before I began writing Riegl Palate. She’d enjoy knowing that some of her treasures are featured here. I wouldn’t be surprised if this bowl held some mixed nuts or dry roasted peanuts at one point but they likely came straight from a jar.
The tasty almonds are easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time and frozen. They make a great host gift at the holidays or a lovely addition to a bar table or charcuterie board. Yes, there’s a place for chocolate on a cheese board. I sometimes add pieces of dark chocolate without almonds.
Perhaps you have a special bowl in which to serve them?
| Sweet and Spicy Cocoa Almonds | | Print |
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoons cayenne pepper (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 egg white (from large egg)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste (see Notes)
- 3 cups raw almonds (~ 1 pound)
- Preheat your oven to 275°F. Line a large cookie sheet (17” by 11”) with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and salt. Whisk to remove any lumps.
- In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together egg white and vanilla bean paste until frothy.
- Add almonds and toss in egg mixture.
- Pour the sugar and cocoa mixture into the almond and egg mixture. Stir until almonds are evenly coated.
- Transfer almonds to the prepared baking sheet. Spread into an even layer.
- Roast for about 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes. Watch them carefully so they do not burn.
- Cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack. Once cooled, break clusters into individual almonds.
- Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for up to two weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
Oh, my! These remind me of a delectable holiday treat that was always on my grandmother’s dining room table during the winter season. You just transported me back in time! I hadn’t thought about these delicious candied almonds in years! Thank you for the wonderful memory and the inspirational recipe!
Spenser – How wonderful! I love food memories and especially holiday ones.
Hey Birthday Girl ! These look scrumptious! As soon as I saw the words Copley Plaza, I thought, hmmm, this bowl looks like something Aunt Jean would have fancied…and there it was in the next sentence.! That’s very cool. As is your line about her being “fabulous at making dinner reservations.” When Peggy and I first visited Boston as a couple, I called Jean and asked her out to dinner, and she replied without hesitation, “Oh, yes, let’s go to Jimmy’s Hahbahside and have a lawbstah and a mahtini!” Tee-hee! As I recall, we had two martinis.
Ah, what a sweet story! Aunt Jean was one in a million and you captured her so well. ❤️