Borrowed directly from the pages of the magnificent cookbook “Nuts: Sweet and Savory Recipes… from Diamond of California”
Make a batch of these easy candied nuts, and you’ll find all kinds of ways to serve them. You can set them out by the bowlful at a party, use them to top a salad containing apples and goat cheese, or sprinkle them over ice cream. And what could be sweeter as a home-made hostess gift?
- 4 c assorted whole nuts (such as walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, and macadamias)
- 2 egg whites
- 1 c sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
(You can omit this step if not using hazelnuts: If using hazelnuts, preheat oven to 350F. Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet or pan. Bake, shaking the pan once or twice, until nuts are lightly browned and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Wrap warm hazelnuts in a clean dish towel and let cool 10 minutes. With the towel, rub off as much of the papery skins as possible. Add to bowl with other assorted nuts.)
Reduce oven temperature ot 225F. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, coat with vegetable oil spray.
In a large bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Add nuts, tossing to coat well.
In another large bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg. Blend well. Add nuts, tossing until evenly coated with sugar mixture.
Spread nuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, separating with a fork. Bake until coating is dry and crunchy, about 2 hours. Let cool.
Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.
Yields 4 cups.
Deborah Palmer of A Movable Feast tested this recipe and suggests an alternative, quicker cooking method: Bake at 350F for about 12 minutes, stirring often. She also prepared the recipe with walnuts only – to rave reviews…