Cashew Coconut Clusters should be mixed with just enough chocolate to hold them together; the clusters in the back have too much chocolate in my opinion.
This Cashew Coconut Clusters recipe originates with the diabolical Dr. Ludwig, but I am appropriating it because his method for melting the chocolate (just mix it in with the other ingredients on the baking sheet) doesn’t work at all. Makes about 8 clusters. [NOTE: recipe revised 2/19]
Ingredients:
3-4 oz bittersweet baking chocolate or other dark chocolate* with at least 60% cocoa content
2/3 c raw** cashews, halves or large chunks
3 T unsweetened coconut flakes
Method: heat oven to 375 degrees and toast cashews on a baking sheet until barely browned, about 5 minutes, then add coconut and toast 2 minutes longer or until coconut is browned. (Watch carefully to see these ingredients don’t burn!) Melt chocolate in a double boiler and mix in nuts and coconut. Use spoon to form clusters on a silicone sheet or parchment paper, making sure that all nuts are touched by at least a bit of chocolate to hold the candies together. Cool in refrigerator till hard then transfer to a storage tub. They’ll probably stay solid at room temperature but I recommend storing in refrigerator just to be safe.
*The bitter taste of bittersweet chocolate is essential to this recipe, but many dark chocolates may not contain have enough cocoa butter to melt smoothly. I used a 9.7 oz Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Baking Bar which worked very well though it wasn’t quite bitter enough for me.
**I prefer raw cashews if you can get them, because they will be more open to absorbing flavors from the other ingredients. If you can’t find raw, roasted snack cashews should work; no need to toast them. Wipe off excess salt before mixing with chocolate and coconut.
