I only make almond roca at Christmas because it’s so addictive. And because everyone to whom I’ve given it starts dropping hints in November that they’d like some this year too please.
Ingredients
200g flaked almonds
200g Naturli block (NOT the spreadable one)
200g caster sugar
40ml water
200g dark chocolate – check that it’s vegan
50g dairy free white chocolate (optional) - I use Moo Free
Toast the flaked almonds lightly and set them to one side.
Spread a length of tin foil along a bench ready for when you pour the boiled toffee onto it.
Heat the water, sugar and Naturli over a medium high heat for ten minutes, stirring continuously. It will stay pale and fluffy for most of this time, then it will begin to darken.
Keep stirring until the mixture has darkened to a golden toffee colour like the photo above. If you have a sugar thermometer, it should be somewhere between 149-154 degrees C - any higher and your mixture will start to split.
Mix in the almonds and spread it out on the foil with a palette knife. Work quickly because the toffee is still cooking. You need to catch the mixture just before it starts smoking and turns a dark brown.
I can’t stress this enough – be very careful not to touch the toffee, it’s very hot and hurts like hell if it burns you, as I learned to my cost one year. I'll spare you the photo of my blackened hand but do be advised to remove children, pets and bumbling fools from the kitchen when you're making this. I now wear a pair of oven gloves when I make this.
The almond roca will set and cool in a few minutes. Pat off any excess oil with kitchen roll.
Gently melt the dark chocolate over a pan of boiling water and smooth it onto the rough upper side of the roca. If you want to add a pattern in white chocolate, melt this too and zigzag it over the dark chocolate while it is still wet. Not all vegan white chocolate, particularly baking drops, will melt well - I use Moo Free which works a treat and is widely available. You can add sprinkles to the chocolate before it’s set – Baking Time Club is great for vegan gluten free sprinkles.
Once the chocolate has set, break it roughly into pieces and do with it what you will.
Happy Christmas!