Almond Crunch

My friend Erin made a holiday baking cookbook.  It's her favorite recipe collections for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.  Super fun and is now my favorite recipes for the holidays.  This is from her cook book.  Beware if you have no will power don't make this because you'll want to eat it all.   

Almond Crunch

1 cup margarine (DON'T USE REAL BUTTER)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 c ground almonds (divided into 1/4 cup and 1/2 a cup)
8 oz chocolate pieces (our family prefers semi or dark but milk works just fine)

**Things will go much smoother if you get everything ready before you start cooking. 
1. Butter cookie sheet. 
2. Ground Almonds and divide into 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup.
3. Measure out chocolate.  It needs to be in pieces about the size of chocolate chips.  If you are using chocolate chips you don't need to cut them up.
4. In a saucepan combine butter, sugar, and water.  Cover and bring to a boil.
5. Next add 1/4 cup ground almonds.
6. Cook and stir constantly over med-high heat until mixture darkens.  The first few times I thought I ruined it because it got dark in streaks so I thought I had burned spots.  On a candy thermometer it should be 290 degrees.  If you stop before this it will be soft and gross and will only continue to get soft.  This step takes 10 to 20 minutes so be patient.
7. Pour onto a buttered cookie sheet, and spread around with a spoon.
8. Top with chocolate chips.  Let the chocolate sit for a few minutes so it melts. 
9. Spread melting chocolate.
10. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup ground almonds.
11. Cool completly
12. Break into pieces.
**It stays fresh for a few days in a covered container.  After that I always throw it in the freezer. 
Get it out 1 hour before you want to eat it.