My Chilli Chocolate Almond Clusters are very moreish! They contain just three ingredients and are quickly and easily made. If you like both chocolate and spicy food, I am sure that you will love this simple recipe which requires minimal effort. Crunchy toasted slivered almonds are mixed with silky smooth melted dark chocolate. Then, we distribute small clusters of the mixture on baking paper and sprinkle them with dried chilli flakes. It doesn’t get much easier than this! Enjoy them with a cup of coffee, for a mid-afternoon energy boost, or a sweet treat any time throughout the day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- They contain just three ingredients, and they are all readily available from the supermarket.
- Like my Easy Rocky Road or Homemade Chocolate Freckles, my Chilli Chocolate Almond Clusters will be a great addition to your recipes for no-bake sweet treats.
- They are a great addition to your festive celebrations, but as they are so easy to make, I like to have some on hand for a small, sweet treat.
- If you have not yet ventured into the world of confectionery, this is a great place to start, making it ideal for the beginner or experienced cook.
- Chocolate and chilli are a match made in heaven. Although chillies are often used in savoury recipes, when paired with chocolate, they are great companions, with the crunchy toasted almonds adding textural contrast.
Recipe Inspiration: a popular recipe that my Mum used to make for her gluten-free catering company.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Dark chocolate – I have used dark chocolate with 70% cocoa solids. It perfectly complements the toasted almonds and chilli flakes. You can use milk chocolate if you prefer.
- Almond slivers – these are blanched almonds which have been sliced into little batons. They are readily available in supermarkets. For this recipe, the nuts are roasted to enhance their flavour and make them even more crisp.
- Chilli flakes – for heat and colour, we add dried red chilli pepper flakes. Add as much or as little as you like.
Variations:
Chocolate – you can use dark chocolate with a lower percentage of cocoa solids if you like the less bitter flavour, or use milk chocolate if you prefer.
Almonds – you can vary the nuts to suit your taste. For instance, you could use chopped roasted cashews.
Chilli flakes – if you don’t like spice, omit the chilli flakes and add a sprinkle of sea salt flakes to the Chocolate Almond Clusters. It is a delicious combination.
How To Make Chilli Chocolate Almond Clusters:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Toast the almonds:
To begin, add the slivered almonds to a baking tray and place in a preheated oven for about 8 minutes or until they are aromatic and a light golden colour. Stir the almonds occasionally so they toast evenly. Remove from the oven and set aside.
2 – Melt the chocolate:
Add ⅔ of the chocolate to a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally.
3 – Add in the remaining chocolate:
When the chocolate has almost melted, remove the bowl from the heat, add the remaining ⅓ chocolate and stir to combine until all the chocolate has melted.
4 – Add in the almonds:
Add the slivered almonds to the melted chocolate and mix to combine.
5 – Spoon out the clusters:
Use a teaspoon to place small mounds of the mixture on a baking paper lined tray.
6 – Sprinkle with chilli flakes:
Sprinkle with chilli flakes and leave until set or place in the fridge.
Hint: moisture is the enemy when melting chocolate as it can cause the chocolate to seize. Care must be taken to ensure that not a drop of water gets into the bowl. To stir the chocolate, I recommend a metal spatula or heatproof spoon as wooden spoons can retain moisture.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
You can store them in a cool, dark, dry place. However, if your home is warm, I recommend that you store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two weeks. I like to add a couple of sheets of paper towel to the base of the container to help absorb moisture. Enjoy them cold or remove them from the fridge about 10 minutes before serving so they soften slightly.
Freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Add a couple of sheets of baking paper to the bottom of the container to absorb any moisture.
Toasting the almonds takes just a short time but greatly intensifies the fragrance and flavour of the nuts and gives them a crunchier texture; that’s always a plus.
If some water, even a very small amount, gets into the chocolate when it is melting, it will transform from a smooth, flowing mixture to one which is thick and grainy and not able to be used for this recipe.
Top Tip:
As there are so few ingredients, it is important that they be good quality. Make sure that the almonds are fresh and that you use good quality chocolate.
Serving Suggestions:
There are many occasions when you will want to enjoy these easily made sweet treats. For instance:
- Enjoy any time as a snack.
- Serve after dinner with a coffee.
- Package some in cellophane and tie with a pretty ribbon – they make a lovely edible gift.
- Serve them as part of your dessert selection during the festive season. You will love how easy they are to make at this very busy time.
- They are very easily transported; make some for a bake sale or take to a potluck.
- For a chocolate selection, add them to a platter with my Chocolate Coffee Truffles and Chocolate Popcorn Bars. You will delight fans of chocolate – and isn’t that most of us?
These Chilli Chocolate Almond Clusters are a taste sensation which will excite your senses and satisfy your chocolate cravings. If you like chocolate and spice, this is sure to become a favourite. This simple confection is quickly and easily made. In just 20 minutes you will have a batch prepared and be waiting impatiently for the chocolates to set. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do.
Alex xx
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Chilli Chocolate Almond Clusters
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.25 ounces) dark chocolate 70 % cocoa – roughly chopped See Note 1
- 150 g (5.25 ounces) slivered almonds See Note 2
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried red chilli pepper flakes – or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (350 F) and line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
- Place slivered almonds on another baking tray and roast them, stirring occasionally, for about 6-8 minutes or until they are light golden brown and aromatic. Remove from the oven and set aside on a plate so they don’t continue on cooking.
- Prepare a double boiler to melt the chocolate. Alternatively, you may prefer to use a microwave. (See Note 3)A double boiler is a small to medium-sized saucepan and an ovenproof bowl which fits just inside the saucepan without touching the bottom. Add about 2.5cm (1 inch) of water to the saucepan, bring the water to a bare simmer and place the bowl over the saucepan.Make sure that the bowl does not touch the simmering water and steam does not get into the chocolate. (See Note 4)
- Add ⅔ of the chocolate to the bowl. As the chocolate begins to melt, stir it with a silicone spatula or heat proof spoon. Do not use a wooden spoon as it may contain moisture. When the chocolate is almost melted, remove the bowl from the saucepan and add the remaining ⅓ of the chocolate a little at a time and stir until all the chocolate has melted. This method helps ensure that the chocolate does not overheat.
- Add the roasted almonds to the chocolate and combine.
- Using a teaspoon, place small mounds of the chocolate-almond mixture onto the prepared baking tray and sprinkle with chilli flakes to suit your taste.
- Put the chocolates aside until the chocolate sets or place in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to speed up the process.Store in an air-tight container.
Notes
- Chocolate: using a good quality chocolate will give you the best flavour.
- Almonds: blanched almonds have been sliced into little batons to produce slivered almonds. They are readily available in supermarkets.
- Melting the chocolate: I prefer to use a double boiler as it is easier to control the heat. However, if you prefer to use a microwave, add chopped chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in 30-second increments, stirring frequently. When most of the chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from the microwave and stir until it is completely melted. If possible, melt your chocolate on a low power setting. As each microwave functions differently, you will need to keep an eye on the chocolate so it does not overcook.
- Moisture: the enemy when melting chocolate as it can cause the chocolate to seize. Care must be taken to ensure that not a drop of water gets into the bowl. If some water, even a very small amount, gets into the chocolate when it is melting, it will transform from a smooth, flowing mixture to one which is thick and grainy and not able to be used for this recipe.
- Storage: store in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place. However, if your home is warm, I recommend that you store them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two weeks. I like to add a couple of sheets of paper towel to the base of the container to help absorb moisture. Enjoy them cold or remove them from the fridge about 10 minutes before serving so they soften slightly.
- Freezing: store them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Add a couple of sheets of baking paper to the bottom of the container to absorb any moisture. Defrost before serving.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Cho
hey,
I’m going to try this recipe today and really looking forward to it!!
is there any way to substitute the chilli with coffee? (would like to do it for the next batch)
thanks 😊
Alexandra Cook
Hi Cho!
I haven’t tried to substitute the chilli with coffee.
If you give it a try – I’d love to know how you get on, and what type of coffee you end up using 🙂
A sprinkle of sea salt is also lovely, as an option instead of chilli!
If you’re after a tried and tested chocolate and coffee treat, I recommend my Easy Coffee Truffles!
Alex xo
Claire R
Delicious, quick and easy to make. What more could you want. This would make an ideal hostess gift or Christmas nibbles ❤️
Alexandra Cook
Thank you, Claire!
I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe 🙂 A lovely gift, I agree!
Alex xo
Jo Patterson
This recipe was so quick, so easy and utterly delicious
Alexandra Cook
Thank you very much, Jo!
I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Alex xo
Julia
My husband LOVES these!
Alexandra
That is so good to hear!
Alison Coke
I used to buy these many years ago and they were delicious, but there’s nothing quite like homemade: this recipe worked well. We added a little sprinkle of sea salt to some instead of chilli. Time to make another batch as this one is almost gone!
Alexandra
Hi Alison!
That touch of sea salt sounds fantastic 🙂
I am so glad you enjoyed these!