Cookbook Challenge # 7 - Around My French Table

Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan (2010) is a lovely cookbook I’m sure I’ll revisit in the future, since I was too frazzled and tired to attempt anything particularly challenging from it this weekend. But the Sweet and Spicy Cocktail Nuts I found time to make were tasty indeed, and I’m likely to make them again.

Sweet and Spicy Cocktail Nuts

• 1/2 c. sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• pinch of cayenne

• 1 large egg white

• 2 cups nuts (whole or halves, but not small pieces) - I used pecan halves

Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 300 F. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray or line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.

Mix the sugar, salt, and spices together in a small bowl. Beat the egg white lightly with a fork in a larger bowl, just breaking up the white so that it’s runny. Toss in the nuts and stir to coat them with the egg white, then add the sugar and spice mixture and continue to stir so that the nuts are evenly coated.

Using your fingers, lift the nuts one by one from the bowl, letting the excess egg white drip back into the bowl. (The drip back part didn’t work for me because the egg white and spice mixture formed a sort of slurry. I think this is why the nuts turned out almost like crunchy pralines, with a thick, crisp meringue coating, but they tasted fine.) Transfer them to the baking sheet, separating them as best you can.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the nuts are browned and the coating is dry. Cook for 5 minutes, then transfer to another baking sheet, a cutting board, or a piece of parchment paper, breaking them apart as necessary, and let cool completely.