Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Mombosa Sugar and Spice Candied Nuts



These nuts are so easy to make and they are the perfect gift!  I got the inspiration to use this spice that I got from a spice monger at the Reading Terminal Market in Philly.  From the research I have been able to do I have found that this is a variant of cayenne from a certain spice region of Africa.   Any hot smoked paprika or cayenne pepper will work as a substitute.  I like the Mombosa because it works well with the flavors of this recipe and has a hidden kick that hits the palate after the cinnamon and sugar combinations hit your tongue.  This recipe is easy to work with especially if you want to multiply it.

1 pound total of any nut or combination
1/3 cup dark-brown sugar
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon of Mombosa or Cayenne (1/4 teaspoon of hot smoked paprika)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of sweet cocoa powder
Worcestershire sauce
1 egg white, room temperature
1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add sugars, salt, Mombosa, cocoa and cinnamon to a food processor until mixture is well blended and begins to have a powdery texture, and set aside.  Beat egg white and water until frothy but not stiff. Add nuts, and stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle nuts with sugar mixture, and toss until evenly coated. Spread sugared nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet fitted with parchment paper.  Gently sprinkle Worcestershire sauce over them. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent from sticking to each other. Remove from oven, sprinkle with Worcester sauce again, and separate nuts as they cool. When completely cool, pour the nuts into a bowl, breaking up any that stick together.