Almond Roca Recipe

2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 pound blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
1 pound semisweet chocolate
2 cups ground or finely chopped blanched, toasted almonds

Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan. Melt butter in a skillet over high heat or (better) in an electric skillet on highest heat. When butter is melted, but not brown, add sugar and stir until dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil and cook 5 minutes over highest heat, stirring constantly. Add coarsely chopped almonds and cook and stir until mixture forms a brittle ball when 1/2 teaspoon is dropped into cold water. Pour into prepared pan; score while warm into 1/2 x 1 inch rectangles. When cool, break into pieces.

Melt chocolate in double boiler. Dip pieces of almond roca in chocolate, letting excess chocolate drop back into pan. Roll pieces in ground almonds and set on waxed paper until chocolate hardens.