Nut Clusters Recipe
Recipe by Jacques Torres
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Yield: Approximately 2 pounds of nut clusters
- Total Time: 2 hr 5 min
- Preparation: 20 min
- Cooking: 1 hr 45 min
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Serving Size: 1 of 30 servings
- Calories: 369
- Total Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Dietary Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 23 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 18 mg
- Sodium: 97 mg
Ingredients
For the Caramel Mou (soft):
- 1 ounce (30 grams) corn syrup
- 2.5 ounces (70 grams) sugar
- 1 ounce (30 grams) water
For the caramel:
- 2 pounds assorted whole roasted nuts, unsalted
- 1 ounce (30 grams) butter
- 1 ounce (30 grams) cocoa butter
- 7.4 ounces (210 grams) sugar
- 4 ounces (120 grams) corn syrup
- 3 ounces (90 grams) Caramel Mou
- 10.5 ounces (302 grams) cream
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 ounce (30 grams) butter
- 1/2 tablespoon (6 grams) salt
- 1/2 tablespoon (6 grams) lemon juice
- 16 ounces bittersweet chocolate, tempered
Cook Mode: (Keep screen awake) NEW: Use Cook Mode to keep your screen active.
Instructions
- To prepare the caramel mou: Combine corn syrup, sugar, and just enough water to dissolve the sugar in a saucepan and heat on high. Cook until the sugar turns a deep dark brown and starts to scorch, indicated by white smoke. Remove from heat and carefully add 1 ounce of water. Let cool slightly.
- Spread the roasted nuts on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat mat.
- In a large heatproof bowl, put the butter and cocoa butter.
- To make the caramel: In a saucepan over high heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, Caramel Mou, cream, vanilla bean, butter, salt, and lemon juice. Attach a candy thermometer and cook until reaching 250F (121C). Remove from heat and pour over the butter and cocoa butter mixture. Let rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the caramel over the nuts to form clusters.
- Put the tempered bittersweet chocolate into a paper cornet or small piping bag, then drizzle it over the nut clusters. Serve.
- Jacques' tip: For a kid-friendly version, use store-bought caramel squares. Unwrap and place them atop the nuts, then warm in the oven until the caramel is melted.
