Chocolate-Covered Almonds Recipe

Walking in SoHo in New York City does two things for me: makes me want to purchase clothes that I don't need, which, in turn, makes me want to buy the roasted nuts sold from vendors on just about every corner. Instead of dropping a few hundred dollars on apparel, I drop a few bucks on a warm paper bag of freshly roasted almonds, coated in a perfect caramel shell.

It's the scent of the burnt sugar and toasted nuts, strong enough to mask the smell of car exhaust, that wafts from these little carts. This scent also compels me to make large batches of caramelized almonds as often as possible (and not to cover harsh smells in my kitchen, but probably to prevent myself from online purchases).

I have made several different versions, some more involved than others. But, I always seem to settle on the same recipe as my favorite: whole toasted almonds coated in a thin layer of sandy cinnamon-sugar, a good-quality semisweet chocolate and dark cocoa powder. As soon as they're done, I find myself eating them by the handful.

And no matter how much will power you have, you will, too.