Orange Walnuts with Chocolate Drizzles

Source: Chocoholic.com

This recipe makes a lovely walnut candy, and with the added chocolate, combines holiday flavors of chocolate, nuts, and oranges!!!! It comes to us from Lily C., in Baltimore, Maryland, a confirmed chocolate nut (absolutely no pun intended).

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel (use a wee bit more if fresh, otherwise dried is fine)
2 cups walnut halves
3 to 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted (you will use this last)

You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe. In a deep enough pan, with good heat retention, cook the sugar and orange juice to soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Cool a bit, and add the orange peel, then stir in the walnut halves. Stir until candy mixture has become cloudy. It is important to reach the cloudy stage. Separate the walnut halves to cool completely on waxed paper. You will need some space for this. Take some of the cooled walnuts and drizzle very lightly with the melted chocolate, not too much, so as not to overpower the orange candy flavor achieved with the cooking. Just a dash to add chocolate to offset the sweetness of the orange. (Milk chocolate will work as well, but will not add contrast to the sweetness as much).