November 3, 2009
Spiced nuts are a favorite snack of mine.
A few years ago a friend and I made sweet and spicy almonds. The recipe we used combined rosemary, cardamom and cayenne pepper along with maple syrup. We were both a little trepidatious about the spice combination, but they turned out fantastically. Ever since, I’ve played around more and more with spicy and savory flavors in all sorts of food.
This time of the year, spiced nuts are nice to have on hand. You can serve them when company comes, bring them to parties or wrap them up nicely and give as a small gift. Additionally, they make the house smell really good when baking.
Don’t be afraid to take risks making your own spice blend. It’s a lot of fun to find out what works. Sniff your blend as you add spices for a hint of what it will taste like. This is play food.
Making your own spiced nuts is also a good way to get rid of odds and ends of nuts leftover from different recipes. Plus, it’s a great way to use up spices that don’t often get used and are getting old. They don’t last forever, you know.
Nuts to try:
Cashews
Pecans
Almonds
Walnuts
Hazelnuts
Herbs and spices to consider:
Allspice
Cardamom
Chile powder
Chipotle powder
Cinnamon
Cocoa powder
Coriander
Cumin
Lavender
Lemon, lime or orange zest
Paprika
Pepper
Rosemary
Spice blends, such as curry powder, jerk and cajun seasoning or garam masala
Extras:
Dried cranberries
Golden raisins
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Spiced Nuts
1 egg white
3-5 teaspoons spices
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar (brown or white)
2 cups nuts
1/2 to 1 cup dried cranberries or other “extras” (optional)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Beat egg whites until foamy, fold in spices, salt and sugar. Fold in nuts and extras and spread over a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until slightly browned.
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