[/caption]I rarely have any deserts at home. No biscuits (do saltines count?), no chocolate, no cake. I have a quarter tub of ice cream in my freezer but it's been there for a while -- remnants of a get together with my cousins some months back. yes, months. Anytime I make a desert, it's for someone else.
What you will find in my pantry are nuts. Cashew nuts, pecan nuts, peanuts, walnuts ... even candle nuts for cooking curries.
So when my friend called to ask if she could drop by for a bit -- her daughter wanted to play with my dachshund Mojo, I panicked. What would I offer the kid to eat?
I did a quick inventory of what I had. Saltines? Get real. Apples? The kid would probably kick me. Old ice cream? Her mum would probably kick me. Instant noodles? That's just pathetic. Then I recalled a jar of walnuts and a recipe for candied walnuts I bookmarked some time back. The kid would like it, right? Oh well, she'd just have to.
Kid came. Kid payed with dog. Kid drank soda and then I brought out the nuts. She looked at them suspiciously, reached out her hand and picked one small syrupy walnut.
Ten minutes. Thats how long it took her to finish the bowl of nuts. Heck, she didn't even keep some for me. I know I don't like desserts, but I love nuts, candied or not.
Oh well, better me deprived of nuts than an unhappy kid without a treat. So maybe this X'Mas, you can ditch the candy cane for some candied walnuts.... ya think?
Candied Walnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups raw walnut, halved
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon
Preheat oven to 180°C. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 5 - 7 minutes or until toasted. Just be sure not to burn them. Remove and cool. Mix sugar and water in a saucepan and cook on medium hear, stirring. When the sugar has melted, add the walnuts and stir, making sure all the nuts are coated with the sugar before it hardens. Once they're all coated, remove from heat and spread on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Sprinkle the nuts with the salt and, if you wish, cinnamon. Seperate those that are sticking together and let them cool.
More desserts at Nodessert? Look at
No comments:
Post a Comment