Sunday, December 26, 2010

Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts


Looking for a quick thing to make to bring to a dinner party or a housewarming? These candied nuts are so easy but are so amazingly delicious. I brought some to my family for Christmas and they were all gone within an hour and everyone wanted the recipe. So here it is!

Recipe for Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts from Smitten Kitchen:

1/3 cup dark-brown sugar
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pound walnut or pecan halves or whole peeled hazelnuts (I used pecans and almonds and they were delicious)
1 egg white, room temperature
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix sugars, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon, making sure there are no lumps; set aside. Beat egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add pecans, and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated.

Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper (I used aluminum foil because I was out of parchment, your cooking time will vary a bit if you make this substitute). Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and separate nuts as they cool. When completely cool, pour the nuts into a bowl, breaking up any that stick together.

Find a jar or something cute to put the nuts in...presentation is key when you are giving something like nuts. I used little holiday themed chinese take-out boxes and they were a huge success with the family.

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