Vegan Almond Rocca

My mother and I worked on this collaboration the other day. She is known for her Almond Rocca and I miss it. She made it the holiday season I first went vegan, or possibly the year after that, and I thought we would give it a try again.

The recipe is easy, though you have to stir it THE ENTIRE TIME it heats up, or it will not work.

You will need:

Large sauce pan
Candy thermometer (the saucepan cannot be too tall, the thermometer must touch the candy)

1 cup vegan butter-Smart Balance. DO NOT use EARTH BALANCE. my mother and I tried it with this and the "toffee" part did not come together, it was WAY too oily.
2 tablespoons water
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips (approximate)
3/4 cup chopped almonds (approximate)

In the sauce pan, melt butter on low-medium heat. Once melted, add in water. Add the sugars-DO NOT add in baking soda yet. Add in thermometer and stir continuously until it reaches 290 Fahrenheit. Quickly remove thermometer and add in baking soda, stir it around, and pour mixture on a lightly buttered cookie sheet. Let sit until it begins to harden, add chocolate chips to the top and then sprinkle chopped almonds over top of entire surface. Wait a few minutes for it to cool, flip over and repeat. Note: you may need to melt the chocolate chips on this side if it is not hot enough. Break into small pieces and enjoy!