Since I’m not a huge lover of sweet things, most of the things I make during the Twelve Days of Treats end up being given away.

But this is a treat that I made sure to gobble up plenty of.

Not only is almond roca one of my all time favorite sweet treats, but this was one of the best almond rocas I had ever had.

Eat your hearts out roca lovers. This bad boy is the bee’s knees.

And so freaking easy to make.

So easy that Joe Cool over here got to chill in his shades while helping out. 

You will need…

1 cup roasted and salted almonds, chopped

1 cup butter (2 sticks) plus 1 tablespoon

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate

Start by using buttering a 7 x 11 inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter.

Then, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.

When the butter has melted add in the brown sugar and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and boil, stirring often until the temperature has reached 300 degrees F. You will need to use a candy thermometer (you can buy them cheap at the grocery store). If you reach 320 degrees F it will not harden so be very careful.

Pour half the almonds into the buttered pan then pour the sugar mixture over the almonds.

Pour the chocolate over the almonds and butter and sugar mixture and allow it to melt for about 3 minutes.

After the chocolate has begun to melt, use a spatula to spread it out evenly.

Top with the remaining almonds and put in the refrigerator for an hour.

When the roca has completely hardened, chop with a knife and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Almond Roca

1 cup roasted and salted almonds, chopped

1 cup butter (2 sticks) plus 1 tablespoon

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate

Start by using buttering a 7 x 11 inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon butter.

Then, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.

When the butter has melted add in the brown sugar and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and boil, stirring often until the temperature has reached 300 degrees F. You will need to use a candy thermometer (you can buy them cheap at the grocery store). If you reach 320 degrees F it will not harden so be very careful.

Pour half the almonds into the buttered pan then pour the sugar mixture over the almonds.

Pour the chocolate over the almonds and butter and sugar mixture and allow it to melt for about 3 minutes.

After the chocolate has begun to melt, use a spatula to spread it out evenly.

Top with the remaining almonds and put in the refrigerator for an hour.

When the roca has completely hardened, chop with a knife and serve. 

After yesterday’s all day recovery session at the Samuels house, we were all too happy to have a very quiet last night of Chanukah at home with just the family.

The only problem is that we didn’t have any of this tasty Jewish pastry left over from the third annual Jew Food Tuesday.

These were so good they were gone by morning.

You will need…

Dough:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold and cut into pieces

8 ounces cream cheese, cold and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

2 egg yolks (for the egg wash)

Filling:

¾ cup hazelnut chocolate spread (like Nutella)

½ cup semi sweet chocolate, minis

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

 In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar and salt and mix together until combined.

Add in the butter and combine until the texture resembled course sand.

Then, while the mixer is on add in the cream cheese and sour cream. Combine until it creates a ball of dough.

Remove the dough from bowl and place it on a floured surface.

Cut into four even pieces and mold them in to flat rectangles. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 15 to 30 minutes.

After the dough has hardened, remove it from the plastic wrap and roll it into a rectangle roughly 6 by 14 inches. You want it to be ¼ inch thick or thinner.

Then, spread the hazelnut chocolate spread, the sugar and cinnamon and the chocolate minis all over the dough. Save a little of the cinnamon and sugar mixture for the top of the rugalach.

Roll up the rugalach so it makes a long roll of dough.

Wrap it up in plastic wrap again and freeze for another 20 minutes.

While they are freezing, whisk together the 2 egg yolks and 1 tablespoons water.

Remove the rugalach from the freezer and slice into 1 ½ inch pieces and place them on a baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush the rugalach with the egg wash and top with a little of the cinnamon sugar mixture and a couple chocolate minis.

Bake until they get a little golden and crisp on top. About 25 minutes.

Serve warm.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Chocolate Hazelnut Rugalach 

Dough:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold and cut into pieces

8 ounces cream cheese, cold and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

2 egg yolks (for the egg wash)

Filling:

¾ cup hazelnut chocolate spread (like Nutella)

½ cup semi sweet chocolate, minis

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar and salt and mix together until combined.

Add in the butter and combine until the texture resembled course sand.

Then, while the mixer is on add in the cream cheese and sour cream. Combine until it creates a ball of dough.

Remove the dough from bowl and place it on a floured surface.

Cut into four even pieces and mold them in to flat rectangles. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 15 to 30 minutes.

After the dough has hardened, remove it from the plastic wrap and roll it into a rectangle roughly 6 by 14 inches. You want it to be ¼ inch thick or thinner.

Then, spread the hazelnut chocolate spread, the sugar and cinnamon and the chocolate minis all over the dough. Save a little of the cinnamon and sugar mixture for the top of the rugalach.

Roll up the rugalach so it makes a long roll of dough.

Wrap it up in plastic wrap again and freeze for another 20 minutes.

While they are freezing, whisk together the 2 egg yolks and 1 tablespoons water.

Remove the rugalach from the freezer and slice into 1 ½ inch pieces and place them on a baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush the rugalach with the egg wash and top with a little of the cinnamon sugar mixture and a couple chocolate minis.

Bake until they get a little golden and crisp on top. About 25 minutes.

Serve warm.