Roasted Nuts with Cocoa and Salt

21Dec09

I can’t wait to tell you about this recipe from Joy of Joy The Baker. It’s sweet, salty, and perfect for giving away this Christmas season, or keeping all to yourself! But first, I have some housekeeping to do…

I’ve been so busy with shopping and wrapping and shoveling and baking and cooking and etc etc etc that I’m afraid I haven’t had too much time to post this month! Well now I have a stockpile of recipes to show you and I will work on getting as many up as possible ASAP! But first, a big THANK YOU to Bridget over at Yellaphant for a lovely little blog award! I promise I’ll pass it along to some worthy bloggers 🙂

Now, on to the Nuts!

Roasted Nuts with Cocoa and Salt (fills 5 one-quart mason jars, feel free to adjust amounts, from Joythebaker.com)
8 cups Mixed Nuts (I used walnuts, pecans, and macadamias)
2 1/2 sticks of Butter, salted, sliced
5 large Eggs, whites only
2 1/3 cups Sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp Cocoa
3 Tsp Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 325. Spread the nuts out on a good quality cookie pan (half sheet if you have it) — you may need more than one depending on the quantity you’re making. I used two half sheets. Toast in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Set aside. Scatter butter slices on the pan and return to the oven to melt, which should only take a minute or two, then remove pan from the oven and set aside.

Whip the egg whites with a hand beater (or if you have it, a stand mixer) until they just begin to form peaks. Continue to whip on medium, while adding in the sugar. Whisk for another minute or two, then sprinkle the cocoa on top and fold that in until well incorporated:

Pour over the toasted nuts, and stir to coat evenly.

Scoop the nuts onto the butter-covered sheet. Try to spread a little if you can, but not all the butter will be covered and that’s OK. It will get incorporated over the course of cooking and stiring the nuts. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, then remove and stir the nuts, incorporating more of the butter and breaking up the meringue. Back to the oven for 10 more minutes. Remove and stir the nuts again. At this point the meringue should be drying out a bit, and most of the butter should be incorporated. Sprinkle the sea salt over the nuts, generously! Salt is yummy. Return to the oven for 10 more minutes.

After the final bake, leave the nuts to cool and dry out completely, 30 minutes or so. Then munch away! Or seal in an air-tight container to give away! They should last a week or so.

Filed under: dessert, few ingredients, finger food   |  7 Comments