Homemade Almond Joys

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2: Spread raw almonds onto a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool.

Step 3: In the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, blend the sweetened condensed milk, butter and vanilla.

Step 4: Add the confectionary sugar a little at a time, mixing until smooth.

Step 5: On low speed, add the coconut a little at a time, and mix until thoroughly combined with the confectionary sugar mixture. The mixture will be thick.

Step 6: Place mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Step 7: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 8: Remove the coconut mixture from the refrigerator.

Step 9: With clean hands shape one tablespoon of coconut into a little log about 2 inches long and 3/4 inches thick.

Step 10: Press the coconut mixture together very well so they don’t crack when dipped.

Step 11: Place the log on the lined baking sheet, and continue making them until all of the coconut mixture is gone.

Step 12: Rinse hands occasionally if they get too sticky.

Step 13: Press an almond on top of each coconut log. It might not completely stick (that’s okay).

Step 14: Place the baking sheet in the freezer to chill while you melt the chocolate.

Step 15: In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate in the microwave 2-4 minutes at 30 SECOND intervals, until chocolate is melted. Remove the coconut candies from the freezer.

Step 16: Place one coconut almond log on a fork (I use my meat fork to my silverware).

Step 17: Use a spoon to scoop a bit of chocolate over the almond. This will help the almond stick to the candy and not fall off during dipping.

Step 18: Lower fork into chocolate and spoon chocolate over candy to coat. Lift fork, and gently shake to release some of the chocolate. Scrape the bottom of the fork along the side of the bowl and place on the lined baking sheet. You might need a toothpick to help get the candy off the fork. Repeat until all candy is coated in chocolate. If chocolate gets thick, just return to the microwave and heat for another 30 seconds.

Step 19: Let dipped candy harden for 45 minutes.

Step 20: Store in an airtight container at room temperature. If you need to layer the candy in a container, use waxed paper to separate the layers.

Step 21: Note: If you do not want to dip all the candy at one time, you can put the sheet pan of the coconut logs in the freezer. When they are frozen, gather them up and put them in a Zip-loc freezer bag, to be dipped at a later time.