I recently made another batch of candied citrus peel, and instead of dunking it in chocolate and eating it hand over fist, as is my usual modus operandi, I decided to go to a bit more effort and use it in a new candy. The emphasis in that last phrase should be on a bit more work, because the resulting Orange Hazelnut Clusters barely caused me to break a sweat. The plump, tangy candied citrus peel was finely chopped, along with some toasted hazelnuts, and both were mixed into melted bittersweet chocolate. I then made clusters (the refuge of the lazy cook) by dropping spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet. And voila, 5 minutes after I'd started, I had my candy! The bad news is that I eat this as voraciously as I eat regular chocolate-dipped orange peel, but the good news is that it's so easy to make, I can whip up more and no one will be the wiser.
Orange Hazelnut Clusters Photo ©2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Comments