Two versions of spiced nuts here, the first is a great use for those left over egg whites from making lemon butter or ice cream. You get crispy coated nuts and seeds to use in ice cream.

The second is also really simple and tastes amazing. It would be my choice if I wasn’t trying to use up leftover egg whites. I certainly wouldn’t use the egg whites if they weren’t sitting around saying “use me!”.

Feel free to use any combination of spices or the ones from the first recipe in the second one or vice versa.

Nut layer on ice cream cake

CRUNCHY CHRISTMAS SPICED NUTS (EGG WHITES)

Ingredients

• 2 tbs lightly whisked egg whites
• 2 cups nuts – any including blanched almonds, hazel nuts, pecans, walnuts, seeds etc.
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp salt flakes

Method

1. Preheat the oven 150º C
2. Mix the sugar and spices together. Mix in the nuts and stir until coated. Spread the nuts onto baking paper lined tray, sprinkle with salt flakes.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes during cooking, until they are dry. Remove from the oven and break up clumps as it cools.
4. They become crisp as they cool.

SWEET SPICED NUTS (BUTTER)

Sweet an spicy almond and cashew mix

Ingredients

(using the spice mix from the previous recipe – see quantities at the end of ingredients )

• 1 tbs butter
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 5 cups nuts – of your choice – including almonds, hazel nuts, macadamias and cashews, best to not use walnuts or pecans as they burn too easily
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt flakes to be sprinkled on when they go into the oven.

Alternative spices

1. 2 tsp cinnamon
2. 1/2 tsp ginger
3. Pinch cloves
4. 1/4 tsp white pepper
5. 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
6. 1 tsp salt flakes to be sprinkled on when they go into the oven

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Line a baking tray with with baking paper and set aside.
3. Put the nuts into a mixing bowl and set aside.
4. Put the butter, sugar and water into a large saucepan and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the spices.
5. Pour the nut mix into butter/spice mix and stir well and return to the heat and stir until the nuts are well coated.
6. Spread the mix onto the prepared baking sheet, sprinkle with salt flakes, and bake for 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes to ensure all the nuts are separated and evenly coated.
7. After 15 minutes the nuts should be nicely toasted but the coating will still be slightly sticky. All the excess syrup will be gone from the bottom of the tray. If they aren’t toasted enough, give them an extra few minutes.
8. Remove from oven and stir a couple of times as the nuts cool so they remain separated. They will harden on cooling, and stick together so manually break up any clumps before the toffee sets.

1. Enjoy