The Story of my Almond Butter Crunch

I grew up with a Dad that loves to cook. He has his specialties but what may surprise many, is that he loves to make candy. Often we would rent a movie and he would pause it for a bit, only to return from the kitchen with bowls of candy corn. 

So naturally, I inherited Dad's sweet tooth. But we didn't grow up with a lot of candy and "junk" food in the house. The first time I had sugared cereal, for example, was summer camp in grade 9. I think I lived on Fruit Loops for two weeks for the sheer novelty. I grew up with my Mom cooking beautiful food, eating salmon that my Dad caught on fishing trips, walking to the market every weekend for our groceries and I was often sent to school with french bread and cheese in my lunch. I developed a rather sophisticated palette, I would say, for a teenager. (My Mother will never forget my Vegetarian period inspired by Sting- announcing it at the dinner table one night, all the while holding down a job at Wendy's).

Holidays were really the only time that we had a lot of sweets. One of my Dad's favorites is Almond Roca. Truly, a good confection with the combination of salty, sweet, buttery, crunch, chocolate. Mmmm. I am always trying to think of new recipes to test for Kimberley's Kitchen and my Dad's love of candy provides a lot of inspiration. I remembered recently his love for Almond Roca and set out to make something like it.

My Almond Butter Crunch has been my best seller since I started making it and it only has 4 ingredients. I love the simplicity of it and yet the final product is complex and one of those things most people won't take the time to make for themselves. That is why I make it. So that you can enjoy a treat made with simple stuff, inspired by my Dad.