These are both easy to make and dangerously addictive. The quickest way to go about them is to start by preheating your oven. By the time your oven preheats, you’ll have just enough time to combine the sugar and the spices and boil the water for blanching the nuts. You might be tempted to skip the step on blanching the nuts, but it is a necessary one. Blanching the walnuts removes the most of the brown skins that cover the nut, which are bitter. In addition to snacking or get-togethers, these are great for topping salads. (Think baby spinach, goat cheese, and a handful of these!)
Candied Spiced Walnuts
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
2 cups walnut halves
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne
⅛ teaspoon powdered cardamom
pinch of sea salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (176 C).
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, cardamom and salt.
Meanwhile, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Once the water has come to a rapid boil, add the walnut halves.
Boil the walnuts for about 2 minutes. This will remove some of the bitter brown skin surrounding the walnuts.
After 2 minutes drain and rinse the walnuts. Then, add them the sugar mixture.
Carefully stir the nuts into the sugar, which will melt from the moisture of the nuts. Place the nuts in a single layer on a parchment lined baking tray and bake in the center of the over for about 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. The candied coating will harden as it cools. Store in a cool, dried container for up to a week.