Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds

A week ago a family member came to town to stay a night. As a token of his appreciation his wife sent him with Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds: Dredged in Turbinado Sugar and Sea Salt.

One word: addicting.

No, two: seriously addicting.

I literally downed the entire container...mostly single-handedly...within 12 hours. I saved the last two for my little girls, who, after tasting them said, "You ate them all?!" (They hadn't been awake when we received the gift.)

"No, not all," I said, trying to figure a way out of it.

No use.

"Okay, I ate most of them."

Never mind.

So now I'm on a quest to replicate.

I think I've done it.

Even better? It doesn't have refined sugar or soy lecithin and is boosted with the added benefits of coconut oil. Trader Joe's version is pretty darn salty, which is why the addiction factor comes into play. So the nice thing is you can salt these up or keep it tame--your call on how addicted you want to get.

Enjoy!

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds
1/4 c. dark cocoa powder (I use a Dutch Chocolate, which is processed with alkali, not exactly Eve's Table, but so good)
1/4 c. raw cacao powder
1/4 c. coconut oil
1 T. agave
1/2 c. raw almonds*
2 T. Turbinado sugar
Sea salt

Directions

1. Crank up your AC up. You'll want to have a working temperature below 74 degrees if possible. (Coconut oil has a melting point at 76 degrees.)

2. Mix cocoa powders. Mix in coconut oil and agave. It will be pasty. Work at it until well blended.

Add turbinado sugar.

Mix in almonds. They won't coat completely. This is just to get them started.

3. Next, roll them individually with your fingers, working quickly as to not melt the chocolate. It does help to lightly roll them in your palm or onto open, flattened fingers.

4. Place on a plate covered with foil or waxed paper.

Sprinkle (somewhat generously) with sea salt. Coarse if possible. This is not a science, but an art. I love the generosity of the culinary world.

You needn't be too conservative with the sea salt, nor too liberal. It's tricky. You want enough salty to bring out the sweet. But don't worry, you can always add a dash more afterwards. This recipe is forgiving.

5. Gently roll the coated almonds as needed in order to coat them. I like to pick up the wax paper or foil and move them around. You may also dump them onto another plate with foil, etc and then shake any excess sugar and salt over them. This helps to ensure they are evenly coated.

6. Refrigerate until solid.

Store cold. (I like mine in the small glass canning jars with metal lids.)

Enjoy often. They won't last long.

*My favorite are the truly raw almonds you can get via Green Smooth Girl. Soak them in water for 4 hours and then dehydrate them on 105* for 8-12 hours to keep them alive and raw. Here's a good tutorial.