Description
Delicious homemade Caramel Cashew Clusters featuring toasted cashews coated in rich caramel and topped with smooth chocolate almond bark. These sweet and crunchy treats are perfect for dessert or snacking and combine buttery caramel with a chocolate finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cashew Clusters
- 4 cups whole cashews (toasted)
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup corn syrup
- 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (half of a 14 ounce can)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Topping
- ½ pound chocolate almond bark
Instructions
- Prepare the tray: Line a tray with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Arrange cashews: Place the toasted cashews into 24 small piles evenly spaced on the prepared parchment paper.
- Start caramel mixture: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the salted butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Heat over medium heat, bringing the mixture to a boil while stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
- Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla: Once boiling, incorporate the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract into the saucepan, stirring to combine fully.
- Cook caramel to temperature: Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and continue cooking and stirring the caramel mixture until it reaches 245°F, the firm ball stage, indicating proper caramel consistency.
- Form caramel clusters: Working quickly, spoon about one tablespoon of the hot caramel over each cashew pile on the tray. Set the trays aside to allow the caramel to harden at room temperature.
- Melt chocolate: Place the chocolate almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Top clusters with chocolate: Spoon a small amount of melted chocolate over the hardened caramel on each cashew cluster. Allow the chocolate to set and harden at room temperature.
- Serve and enjoy: Once fully set, the caramel cashew clusters are ready to be served as a delightful treat.
Notes
- Use a candy thermometer for accurate caramel cooking temperature to ensure perfect texture.
- To toast cashews, spread them on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, stirring once.
- Be cautious when handling hot caramel to avoid burns.
- Chocolate almond bark can be substituted with semi-sweet or milk chocolate according to preference.
- Store clusters in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
