Chai Spiced Candied Nuts – 3 Ways
These Chai Spiced Candied Nuts are easy to make, bursting with sweet spice and deliciously crisp.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Chai Spice
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ground ginger
- ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp Ground allspice
- ⅛ tsp Ground cloves
- Large pinch salt
- Seeds from 6 cardamom pods
For the Nuts
- 1 Egg white
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 100 g/ ½ cup Soft brown sugar (light)
- 60 g/ ½ cup Almonds
- 60 g/ ½ cup Pecan nuts
- 60 g/ ⅜ cup Cashew nuts
- 60 g/ ⅜ cup Hazelnuts
To Cover the Nuts
- 75 g/ ½ cup Milk chocolate
- 75 g/ ½ cup Dark chocolate
- 20 g/ ¼ cup Cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp Sea salt
- 20 g/ ¼ cup Icing (confectionary) sugar
Instructions
Prepare the Chai Spice
- Put the spices into a bowl along with the salt and mix. Remove 1 tsp (level) of the mixed spice and set aside for the decorating stage
Make the Candied Nuts
- Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM4 and line a baking sheet with baking parchment
- Put the nuts into a small bowl with the sugar and the remaining spice blend. Toss together
- Whisk the egg white and the vanilla extract together in another bowl until very frothy but not stiff
- Scrape the frothy egg white onto the nuts and stir to cover well
- Spread the nuts out onto the baking sheet
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. It will look a little un-appetising in the beginning. Don't worry, this is normal. When the mix is no longer wet, the nuts are baked
- Take out of the oven and let cool completely
Covering the Nuts
- Chop the chocolate finely and mix together, divide between 2 heatproof bowls and set 1 bowl over a bain marie to melt (see notes)
- Pick the nuts off the baking sheet, leaving behind any crumbs. Put ⅓ of the candied nuts into a bowl and set aside
- Prepare a large baking sheet with baking parchment
- When the chocolate has melted tip in the remaining nuts. Toss until all of the nuts are coated and then transfer to the baking parchment. Working quickly, use a couple of forks to separate the nuts, transfer to the fridge to set (approx 10 minutes)
- Meanwhile grind the sea salt in a pestle and mortar until fine.
- Take approximately ¼ of this salt and add to the icing sugar along with the remaining 1 tsp spice - sieve into a shallow bowl
- Add the remaining salt to the cocoa powder and sieve into another shallow bowl
- Prepare a fresh sheet of baking parchment
- When the first layer of chocolate has set, melt the remaining chocolate. Meanwhile loosen the chocolate covered nuts from the baking parchment. Tip the nuts into the chocolate and stir thoroughly, then transfer to the fresh parchment, separate and allow to set briefly but not completely (just a moment or two).
- Take half of the nuts and toss in the icing sugar
- Take the remaining nuts and toss in the cocoa powder
- Leave to set
- Store in airtight containers for up to 1 month
Notes
To melt chocolate using a Bain Marie: Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan filled with a small amount of water - ensure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl. Heat the water to almost boiling. Put your chocolate into the heatproof bowl and let the heat from the water melt the chocolate. The chocolate must not come into contact with the water