Chocolate Covered Cranberry And Almond Bunches Recipes

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, toss together the almonds and the cherries. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Melt half the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over slightly simmering water, over the lowest possible heat, stirring frequently. Make sure the water is not touching the top pan. Remove the double boiler from the heat and stir in the rest of the chocolate. Remove the top pan with the chocolate in it, gently wipe the bottom of it and set it aside for a moment. Replace the simmering water in the bottom pan with warm tap water. Put the pan of melted chocolate on top of the warm water. This will keep the chocolate at the right temperature while you make the clusters.
• Stir the fruit-nut mixture into the chocolate. Spoon out heaping tablespoon-sized clusters of the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet about 1-inch apart. Put them in the refrigerator to set for 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring frequently until melted.
• Dip cranberries in chocolate with toothpick until coated.
• Place on wax paper.
• Refrigerate until firm.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil.
• Lay out almond slivers on baking sheet. Bake in oven until light brown, shaking the baking pan occasionally to mix them around, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Melt the chocolate morsels in a double boiler over low heat. Mix in the cranberries, almond slivers and tangerine zest.
• Pour into prepared pan. Smooth the chocolate mixture out into an even layer. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until hard, at least 1 hour. Use a knife to break up chocolate into jagged, varied sized bars.

Steps:

• Make the sugared cranberries: Bring 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Put the cranberries in a large bowl and pour the sugar syrup over them; let sit 1 hour. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar with the cardamom in a large bowl. Drain the cranberries, add to the spiced sugar and toss to coat. Spread the cranberries and sugar on a rimmed baking sheet. Let sit, rerolling the cranberries in the sugar occasionally until dry, 2 to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray. Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cardamom in a large bowl; set aside. Put the cocoa powder in a separate large bowl. Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan until almost simmering; pour over the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs to the cocoa mixture and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until just combined. Add the granulated sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture, then increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans; lightly tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment. (The cake layers can be made 1 day ahead; let cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap.)
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase the mixer speed to high and beat, scraping down the side of the bowl, until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and almond liqueur; beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Halve 1/2 cup of the sugared cranberries. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with 1 cup frosting, then sprinkle with the halved cranberries. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Top with the remaining sugared cranberries.

Steps:

• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift first 5 ingredients into large bowl. Whisk eggs and vanilla in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and melted butter into dry ingredients. Stir in cranberries and almonds.
• Turn dough out onto floured surface. Using floured hands, divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Shape each into 8x2x3/4-inch log. Place 2 logs on 1 baking sheet, spacing evenly, and 1 log on second sheet.
• Bake logs 12 minutes. Reverse position of baking sheets. Bake logs until firm and dry to touch, about 12 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Transfer logs to work surface. Using serrated knife, cut hot logs diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place slices, cut side down, on same baking sheets. Bake biscotti until dry and slightly darker, about 10 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool.
• If desired, stir white chocolate in bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until smooth. Remove from over water. Dip biscotti 1 at a time into chocolate, holding cookie at angle and coating 1 inch of each. Return to same baking sheets. Chill until chocolate is set, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Arrange between sheets of waxed paper in airtight containers; store at room temperature.)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Using paper towels, pat chopped cranberries dry; stir into dough. , Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake until lightly browned, 11-13 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate; place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired. Let stand until set. Freeze option: Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets; cover and freeze until firm. Transfer cookie dough balls to a freezer container. May be frozen for up to 3 months. To use, bake frozen cookie dough as directed, increasing time by 3-4 minutes. Proceed with recipe as directed.

Steps:

• In a microwave, melt white chocolate at 70% power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Repeat with semisweet chocolate. Stir almonds and cranberries into white chocolate. Thinly spread onto a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. , With a spoon, drizzle semisweet chocolate over the white chocolate. Cut through with a knife to swirl. Chill until firm. Break into pieces. Refrigerate in an airtight container.