Desserts : Spicy Almond Crunch

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
  
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
  
• 1/4 cup water
  
• 1 cup butter or margarine
  
• 8 ounces slivered blanched almonds, divided
  
• 1 tablespoon Original TABASCO® brand Pepper Sauce
  
• 4 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
  

Grease a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch jelly roll pan. Heat sugar, corn syrup and water to boiling in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat; stir in butter. Set candy thermometer in place.

Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until temperature reaches 300°F or hard-crack stage (when a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads), about 20 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.

Set aside 1/4 cup almonds; stir remaining almonds and TABASCO^® Sauce into hot syrup. Immediately pour mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly. Cool completely.

Melt chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat; cool slightly. Spread melted chocolate over candy and sprinkle with reserved almonds, pressing gently into chocolate. Refrigerate mixture until chocolate is set. Break candy into pieces to serve.

Makes about 1 3/4 pounds candy.