Salted Caramel Nuts

This is another, straight up, yummy, Ina Garten recipe. These are great as a snack or as an appetizer with cocktails. Alternatively, you could serve them alongside, or crumbled over, ice cream, for an irresistible dessert, that never disappoints. Another option is neatly packaging them as a wonderful hostess gift.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole roasted cashews
1 cup whole large pecan halves
1 cup whole unsalted almonds
1 cup whole walnut halves
1½ cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fleur de sel

Preheat the oven to 350º degrees.

DIRECTIONS
First, combine the nuts on a sheet pan, spread them out, and roast them for about 7-9 minutes or until they become fragrant. Do keep a close eye on them, because all ovens vary a bit and you don’t want them to burn. Remove from the oven and set them aside, to cool.

When the nuts have cooled, place the sugar and the water in a medium sauté pan and mix with a fork until all of the sugar is moistened. Then, cook over medium-high heat, until the sugar melts. Once the sugar fully melts, don’t stir the caramel, just swirl the pan, to keep it moving. Don’t worry, the mixture may look as though it’s crystallizing, that’s normal.

Then, continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes a clear golden brown, swirling the pan, constantly at the end. Be very careful, the caramel is insanely hot! Take the mixture off the heat, then, working quickly, add the vanilla (it will bubble up!) and swirl the pan to combine. Working quickly, (the caramel will continue to cook in the pan) add the nuts and the kosher salt. Then, toss the nuts, until the nuts are completely coated.

Finally, line a sheet pan with parchment paper and pour the the whole mixture onto the pan. Spread the nuts out in one layer, pulling them apart with two forks. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool. When they’re completely cooled, carefully break the nuts into large clusters with your hands, trying not to break the nuts too much. Consider yourself warned, these are hard to resist!

Sweet & Salty Roasted Pecans

These nuts are a game changer, they are flat-out addictive and you will keep coming back for more. I have a number of recipes for roasted nuts, however this one tops them all. They are salty, sweet, crunchy and more importantly, they stay crunchy. They are equally amazing on their own, as a cocktail snack, in a salad or as a topping over some ice cream with salted caramel sauce.

So, consider yourself officially warned and please don’t blame me for not being able to stop eating them.

INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4-5 cups pecan halves
11⁄2 cups water
3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
a pinch or two of flaky salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325º and line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Next, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the pecans, water, and sugar. Bring to a simmer and stirring often, cook the pecans for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the salt, pepper and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. Then, with a slotted spoon, remove the nuts from the pan, spread them in a single layer on the baking sheets. Using two forks, separate them so they don’t touch each other and have room to bake individually. Then, bake for 20 minutes, or until they turn a deep and toasty brown.

Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Push the nuts into a mound in the center of each sheet. Then, drizzle each mound with half the oil and half the vanilla extract and toss to coat. Sprinkle each mound with half the cinnamon mixture and toss well to coat them evenly.

Again, spread the nuts on the baking sheets in one layer. Finally, return to the oven for about 10 minutes, or until browned and crisp. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a flaky salt, such as Maldon and let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. I bet you can’t eat just one!

Additionally, they make a nice hostess gift. Simple to make, tasty, versatile, addictive…it doesn’t get any better.

Buttercrunch

Well, it’s that time of year again and it certainly sneaks up on us every year…well it sneaks up on me anyway. With Thanksgiving upon us, the major holidays follow very quickly! With that in mind, I thought I would share my go to holiday hostess gift.

Now, don’t freak out or dismiss this because it requires a candy thermometer. It is not that scary and the payoff is well worth it. Although not difficult, this is one of those recipes that does require your full attention. Stay close by and don’t get distracted. That being said, the toffee portion of the recipe, takes only about 15 minutes and about 20 minutes overall.

Because I do so much of this over the holidays, I buy a 3 pound bag of walnuts, chop them all, in batches, in the food processor and store them in an airtight container. That way, when I am ready to make a batch, the nuts are ready to go and the whole process takes about 20 minutes. Other than the cooling and packaging of course. I hope you try it and let me know how you make out.

INGREDIENTS
2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs. Karo Light syrup
2 Tbs. water
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate bits
1 1/2 cups nuts, ground (use food processor because if they are too large, it doesn’t spread as nicely)

DIRECTIONS
First, put the chocolate in a double boiler, on very low heat and let it be while it’s melting. I don’t even stir it until I am ready to use it. Meanwhile, add the first 4 ingredients to a saucepan. Bring to a boil with medium-high heat and cook to hard crack (300°). Yes, a candy thermometer is a definite must here. Although, once you have made this a number of times, you will be able to eyeball the color of the toffee and know when it is ready.

Stir frequently and DO NOT leave the kitchen! I can’t tell you how many batches I have ruined because I answered the phone, got sidetracked and ended up with a mess that had to be tossed. You should keep a steady eye on this, checking for color (you want a nice deep amber color), lowering the heat if needed, but making sure it is bubbling constantly.

Once the mixture hits 300º, remove from the heat and immediately add 1 cup of the chopped nuts. Stir quickly, but carefully, to combine and pour onto a greased sheet pan. I actually use a silicone baking pad. So if you have one, by all means use that, but it is not essential. Be very careful, this is molten sugar and it is insanely hot. Tilt the pan back and forth to spread the toffee mixture, don’t worry if it doesn’t fill the whole sheet pan. Then, let it set for about five minutes, to cool a bit and set slightly.

By now, your chocolate should be fully melted. Stir it until very smooth and pour the chocolate onto the toffee, spreading it evenly and to the edges with a spatula or offset spatula. Then, immediately sprinkle with the remaining (generous) 1/2 cup of nuts. You want to make sure the nuts go on the toffee before the chocolate starts to cool. Otherwise the nuts won’t stick to the chocolate.

Let cool completely and break into pieces. If using as hostess gifts, package in small tins, candy box, or a cellophane candy bags and wrap with a ribbon.

Almond Biscotti

This is a wonderful and delicious classic, adapted from Maria’s Pastry Shop in Boston’s North End.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup whole unblanched almonds
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup confectionery sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 egg white, for egg wash
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. orange zest

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°
First, spread the almonds on a sheet pan and toast for 8-10 minutes. Then, when the almonds are cool, coarsely chop them.

Next, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and almonds in a large bowl. Meanwhile, in another small bowl, mix the eggs, cinnamon, and the zest, stir to combine. Pour the egg mixture into the center of the flour mixture and gradually mix them, just enough to make a dough. The dough will be very sticky and wet. However, if it is too moist, add a little sugar and flour in equal proportions.

Then, on a lightly floured board, shape the dough into a long log. The shape should be similar to a baguette, about 17“ by 3” and then lay it on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Alternatively, if you find it easier to handle, you could make two long loaves.

Beat the egg white with a tablespoon of water, brush the log and then bake for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the log from the oven and let it cool for 20 minutes. Then, while still slightly warm, cut the log into 1/2″ diagonal slices. I find that a serrated bread knife works best for slicing.

Finally, lay the slices out at room temperature or place them back in the turned-off oven, to dry out. Let them cool completely and store them in tightly covered tins. Consequently, the end result is a very crunchy traditional biscotti. However, if you prefer them a little less crunchy, then don’t let them dry out quite as much.

NOTES
Although I am more of a purist and prefer them as is, I will admit that dipping them in chocolate is a nice option. Try a selection of dark chocolate, white chocolate, and milk chocolate. This varied combination makes for a more interesting and festive dessert platter. Additionally, you can package these up nicely for a great hostess gift.

Granola

I have tried many granola recipes and have combined several here, to bring the best of each, with a good balance of healthy and tasty. Many granola recipes are delicious, but more like candy, this is my attempt to move toward a healthier version and still be delicious Let me know how you like it.

INGREDIENTS
4 cups whole oats, Bob’s Red Mill is a good one
1 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, again, Bob’s Red Mill is good
1 cup chopped nuts, I like toasted slivered almonds
1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or cherries (my preference)
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 Tbs. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
6 Tbs. canola oil
6 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 300º
Line two baking sheets with parchment. Toss together all of the dry ingredients in a very large bowl. Combine the oil, honey, and vanilla in a saucepan and warm over low heat, stirring, just until the mixture is fluid. Do not boil or even simmer, just bring it to a cohesive liquid. Pour over dry ingredients and mix until well coated.

Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or a Silpat. Spread the granola mixture on the sheet pans in an even layer, leaving a donut hole in the center (see below), for even baking, and bake on the middle and lower racks, without stirring, for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden.

Rotate the baking sheets, front to back and top to bottom halfway through. Allow to cool completely before storing in airtight containers.

Herb Roasted Almonds

Easy, delicious and addictive! Great as a snack with cocktails or just grab a handful to nibble on.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. raw almonds
extra virgin olive oil
fresh ground sea salt
fresh rosemary
fresh thyme

DIRECTIONS
Spread the almonds on a sheet pan, lightly drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with a bit of fresh ground sea salt or kosher salt.

Add a few sprigs each of thyme and rosemary. Mix with hands to coat the almonds and herbs with the oil.
Roast in a 400º oven for about 10 to 12 minutes. Just make sure you stay close by because they can burn quickly. Let cool, transfer to a bowl, add an additional sprinkle of fleur de sal and garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary or thyme..