May 2009 be sweet and spicy!

I hope you all made it safely to 2009! I wish you all a wonderful year, may it be sweet but with some nice spice to it.

Sweet and spicy, just like this candy bar!

Sweet and creamy chocolate with spicy and crunchy peanuts all in the same bite. Nothing new or fancy but oh sooooo good and perfect to start off the New Year!

I love caramelized spicy peanuts and make them very often. More often that I should, actually. I even blogged about them before and once I’ve used the same method with sunflower seeds. But this was the first time I’ve eaten them with chocolate. Silly me, I should have thought about this before!

I’ve made my bars with a chocolate bar mould (same one I used a while ago for my Fresh Fig Bars), but if you don’t have one, you can just do this is a tray and then cut out bars or break them up into pieces like you would for a chocolate bark.

CARAMELIZED SPICY PEANUTS

• 350 gr (12.5 oz) roasted peanuts



• 150 gr (5.4 oz) sugar



• 150 ml water



• 1 tsp paprika



• 1 tsp ginger powder



• 1 tsp chilli powder (or more if you like it hot)



• 1 tsp curry powder



• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)



• 1 1/2 tsp salt

In a pan mix the sugar and water just so the sugar can start dissolving and take it to the stove without mixing anymore. Meanwhile mix all the spices and salt and set aside. Clear a space on a table to later mix in the spices onto the peanuts and leave there a wooden spoon or a spatula. When the syrup starts to boil leave it for 1 minute or so and dump all the peanuts. It will seam at this time you have a lot of liquid but don't worry, mix with energy and in a while you'll start to see the sugar turning white and sandy. That's normal, carry on mixing and that sandy sugar will start to transform into caramel. Don't stop mixing, paying extra attention to the sides of the pan so you don't get caramel burning there. Mix, mix, mix... You'll soon have nice even caramel covered peanuts (hopefully) and now you’ll have to act fast: Dump the peanuts onto the table and sprinkle with the spicy powder. With the spoon you used to mix and the one you had previously left there start moving the seeds with both hands trying to mix in the spices evenly. When you're happy with the way they’re covered, spread them as spread out as you can (don't worry much because they'll separate fine after cooling) and leave it to cool. Store in a jar if you're not using right away.

I’ve decided to use half dark and half milk chocolate and I was really happy with that with the peanuts, but fell free to use whatever you think you’ll like best or what you have on hand. I’ve also tempered it but it will work as well even if you don’t, just keep it in the fridge.

2009 SWEET AND SPICY CANDY BAR

• 100 gr (3.5 oz) dark chocolate


• 100 gr (3.5 oz) milk chocolate


• Caramelized spicy peanuts (as little or many as you like)

Chop the chocolates and melt them in the microwave or a bain-marie. Put 2/3 on the bottom of the bars and add the peanuts on top. Cover them with the rest of the chocolate and sprinkle with more peanuts, finely chopped. Let set and unmould.

The year might have changed but I’m still the same and will keep on posting silly pictures of my fingers with bitten food at the end of my posts! Enjoy!

I know I could eat a bar like this everyday of the year!