Spiced Nuts 1
Ingredients
1 egg white
1 teaspoon water
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups walnuts or pecans
Method
Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Beat the egg white with the teaspoon of water until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Place the nuts in a bowl, pour the beaten egg white over them and toss until each nut is evenly coated. Transfer the egg-coated nuts to the spice mixture and toss again so the sugar and spices cling to the nuts. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a lightly greased cookie sheet, separating pieces so they don’t clump together. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan once or twice to promote even coating and browning. Allow the nuts to cool on the baking sheet, breaking apart any clusters as they cool, then store in an airtight container.
These spiced nuts make a great snack, hostess gift, or addition to a cheese board. The egg-white coating helps the spice-sugar mixture adhere and produces a crisp, glazed finish when baked at a low temperature.
Spiced Pecans
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup water (plus a little more if needed)
2 cups pecan halves
Method
Combine the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a saucepan. Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking to the soft-ball stage (about 235–240°F / 113–116°C on a candy thermometer) or until the syrup thickens and becomes slightly tacky. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the pecans until they are fully coated. Pour the sugared pecans onto a buttered sheet of waxed or parchment paper and use a fork to separate them so they cool individually. Once cool, store the pecans in an airtight container. This old-fashioned method yields glossy, sweet-spiced pecans with a tender, slightly chewy exterior.
Spiced Nuts 2
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cloves
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons cold water
1 3/4 cups mixed nutmeats (walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.)
Method
Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Sift together the sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves three times to ensure an even, lump-free spice-sugar mixture. Lightly beat the egg whites and then stir in the cold water. Place the nutmeats in a wire strainer or colander and dip them into the egg-white mixture, shaking off excess so each nut is well coated. Roll the drained nuts in some of the spice-sugar mixture until evenly covered.
Spread about one-quarter of the remaining sugar mixture in a shallow pan to a thickness of approximately 1/4 inch. Arrange the coated nuts in a single layer on the sugar bed, spacing them so they remain separate during baking. Sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture over the nuts, covering them completely. Bake in the preheated, very slow oven for about three hours, checking occasionally and gently separating any nuts that clump together.
After baking, remove the pan and allow the nuts to cool slightly, then sift or shake off any loose sugar. The long, low-temperature bake creates a crisp, caramelized coating that clings to the nuts. Store cooled nuts in an airtight container to preserve crunch and flavor.