Recipe: Cinnamon-Spice Nut Mix

Cinnamon-Spice Nut Mix

Yields 4 cups

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 goatcheese, or sprinkle them over ice cream. And what could be sweeter as a homemade hostess gift?

4 cups assorted whole nuts (such as walnuts,
hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, and macadamias)
2 egg whites
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

If using hazelnuts, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 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. (You can omit this step if not using hazelnuts.)

Reduce oven temperature to 225 degrees F. 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.

A Cup of Kindness

Fill a coffee mug with the glazed nuts. Set the mug in the center of two pieces of transparent plastic gfit wrap or floral wrap. Gather the wrap around the mug and tie it with a wire ribbon; add a gift card with a message on one side and the recipe on the back. (For extra credit, use a personalized photo mug.)

Nuts
by Tina Salter
Ten Speed Press
$29.95 (CAN $48.00)
ISBN: 1-58008-347-1
256 pages, Hardcover (cloth)
Full-color photographs
Recipe reprinted by permission.