Showing posts with label nuts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nuts. Show all posts
I am meeting up with my daughter and son-in-law later today to take them out for supper. My son-in-law was at the Canadian National Winter Games last week for the Special Olympics and came home with three medals. I am taking them out to celebrate his wins and I wanted to bring them a special treat as well.
I thought they might both enjoy a can filled with some delicious homemade cookies. Who doesn't love a homemade cookie? This Frosted Cashew Nut Cookie recipe that I baked was adapted from a recipe I found in the Taste of Home Cookbook entitled, Blue Ribbon Winners. It looked fabulous.
Soft brown sugar drop cookies, loaded with plenty of salted roasted cashews and topped with a sweet and creamy browned butter frosting. What's not to love!
It was attributed to Sheila Wyum, from Rutland, North Dakota and is a recipe which won her a ribbon at her local county fair. I used to enter things at local county fairs. I know how exciting it is to win a ribbon for them!
One year my sister and I each entered our Chocolate Whoopie Pies to our local county fairs, independently of each other, and in two different county's. We both came up with Blue Ribbons! It was so exciting. We both got the same prizes also. Just goes to show that those were great Whoopie Pies!
I have a great fondness for cashew nuts, and I know my daughter does also. When I was a child my parents always got a couple cans of mixed salted nuts for Christmas each year. The cashew nuts inside the cans were always prized above all others! They seemed to disappear really quickly.
.jpg "Frosted Cashew Nut Cookies")
Eating cashew nuts, so long as you don't go overboard, can actually be quite beneficial to your diet. They promote hearth health, are beneficial to people with type 2 Diabetes, are good for the eyes, make your bones stronger, boost energy. reduce cholesterol, help with the skin and hair, improve brain function and help with inflammation.
They are also quite high in calories however, as well as causing constipation, so it is best to keep their consumption down to a dull roar. I wouldn't, personally, eat any more than 15 to 20 roasted cashew nuts a day. They do say that eating roasted ones is better for you than eating raw cashews.
Some of their health benefits might be reduced if you are eating them in cookies, however, LOL! You can't win them all!
These are really delicious cookies. They are soft and somewhat chewy, crispy edges on the first day, and that browned butter frosting is to die for.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE FROSTED CASHEW NUT COOKIES
Some pretty simple every day ingredients and a can of salted roasted cashew nuts. Usually these can be a bit expensive, but if you buy them on offer these cookies are much cheaper to make. Every so often our local shop puts them on offer for $2.99 a can, (with a club card) which is a real bargain.
For the cookies:
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large free range egg
- 1/3 cup (40g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups (250g) plain all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups (167g) roasted salted cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter, cut into chunks
- 3 TBS single cream (half and half)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (260g) icing sugar
- additional chopped cashew nuts
I just use regular salted butter. I don't keep both kinds. Unless a recipe specifies unsalted exactly and I feel it will make a profound difference, I use salted. If I have any concerns I will cut back on the salt required for the recipe.
I do use free range, organic eggs, but that is a personal choice. Feel free to use any egg you wish, but do make sure they are large and at room temperature.
In the U.K. it was never necessary to refrigerate your eggs. They were actually sold on grocery shelves, not chilled. This is because they did not go through the rigorous washing that eggs do in North America and so their protective covering was not washed away.
I used full fat sour cream for these. There is a whole cup of butter in these, including the frosting, as well as a whole can (pretty much) of cashew nuts. I wasn't going to quibble about a few extra fat calories in the sour cream. In for a penny, in for a pound!
I did use a quality cashew nut. Planter's Brand, salted. As I said, these were bought on offer. When you can get them on offer, scoop them up and then pop them into the freezer where they will keep exponentially longer than they would on the shelf.
I always only use pure Vanilla Extract also. I did buy vanilla beans a while back to make my own from scratch, but have never gotten around to it yet. Watch this space.
HOW TO MAKE FROSTED CASHEW NUT COOKIES
These are as simple to make as any drop cookie is. Just make sure you make the frosting as well. The two go together like peas and carrots! Also make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before beginning.
Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Line several baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.
Sift the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together. Set aside.
Cream the butter and brown sugar together until well combined. Beat in the egg, vanilla and sour cream. Mix well together.
Stir in the flour mixture, combining everything well together. Stir in the chopped nuts.
Drop by the TBS (I used a cookie scoop) onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and scoop off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting place the butter pieces in a saucepan. Lightly brown over medium high heat. Remove from the heat and beat in the cream, vanilla and icing sugar, until smooth and thick.
Frost the cooled cookies with this frosting and sprinkle with additional chopped cashew nuts if desired.
On their own these cookies were quite good, but really quite unremarkable. I thought to myself, how could these have won a prize???? They were tasty, but they didn't have the wow factor I was expecting from a prize winning cookie.
I made the frosting, spreading it on top and adding some more chopped cashews. That is when these became AMAZING!! Seriously! I could totally understand the prize win then!! I think my daughter and her husband are really going to enjoy these!
Are you a Cookie Monster like I am? If so, you might also enjoy the following:
SOFT AND CHEWY JAM & SUGAR COOKIES - This small batch recipe makes 15 large, chewy, sugar crusted cookies. The center of the cookies is filled with raspberry jam prior to baking. Soft and chew with a lovely sugar crunch, these go beautifully with a hot drink or a cold glass of milk.
RASPBERRY CRUMBLE COOKIES - These melt-in-the-mouth crumble cookies are amazingly delicious with a shortbread-like texture, a sweet jam filling and a moreish buttery crumble topping. The same batter is used for both the base and the topping. They are very easy to make and incredibly tasty!
Yield: about 3 dozen
Frosted Cashew Nut Cookies
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 20 Min
On their own the cookies are not remarkable, but add the browned butter frosting, and they are taken to an amazing level of deliciousness!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large free range egg
- 1/3 cup (40g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups (250g) plain all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups (167g) roasted salted cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup (115g) butter, cut into chunks
- 3 TBS single cream (half and half)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (260g) icing sugar
- additional chopped cashew nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Line several baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar together until well combined. Beat in the egg, vanilla and sour cream. Mix well together.
- Stir in the flour mixture, combining everything well together. Stir in the chopped nuts.
- Drop by the TBS (I used a cookie scoop) onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and scoop off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting place the butter pieces in a saucepan. Lightly brown over medium high heat. Remove from the heat and beat in the cream, vanilla and icing sugar, until smooth and thick.
- Frost the cooled cookies with this frosting and sprinkle with additional chopped cashew nuts if desired.
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This Impossibly Easy Pecan Pie recipe is one that I have wanted to try for a long time now. I adore pecan pie and anything that might make it possible for me to enjoy one quicker or easier is something I am keenly interested in!
Impossible Pecan Pie is actually one of the easiest pecan pies I have ever made! Yay!!
Pecan pie is not something we ever had when I was growing up. Mother was very thrifty and I suspect that pecans were not in her budget. I remember buying frozen Mrs. Smith's Pecan Pies after I got married and falling in love with them.
I remember when I was pregnant for my oldest daughter I had a serious craving for a Pecan Pie, so I picked up a Mrs. Smith's pie. I could hardly wait for it to thaw out.
When it finally did, I sat down and ate one gorgeously delicious piece of it. I was in heaven. Then I threw the rest of it into the garbage, dumping something nasty on top so I would not be tempted to fish it back out. I was so afraid of eating the whole thing all by myself and gaining too much weight.
What a waste, but nothing on earth will ever taste as good as that one piece of pie did. I had never thought of making my own pecan pie at that point in my life and it's probably a good think I hadn't! That's when a little knowledge can become a very dangerous thing! haha
It is still not something I bake very often of course, and not just because of the calories and sweetness involved. Mostly because of the faffing about with making pastry, rolling it out, etc. This tasty recipe gets rid of every necessity for that!
This is one of those impossible pie recipes. The kind that supposedly make their own crust. I don't think they quite manage to do that, but they are very close and I am not going to complain about that. Every one I have ever baked has been delicious!
Simple to make and delicious? Count me in! This would be a fabulous pie for any holiday gathering you might be planning in the near future. It is Thanksgiving in Canada in just two weeks time and the American one will not be too far behind. What is Thanksgiving without a tasty pie or two in the pie safe!
This recipe has been adapted from the book Bisquick Impossibly Easy Pies. Pies that magically bake their own crust.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE IMPOSSIBLY EASY PECAN PIE
Pretty simple ingredients, except for the baking mix. You can either buy a ready made one, or make your own from scratch. You can find my recipe for how to do just that here.
- 1 1/2 cups (181g) chopped toasted pecans
- 3/4 cup (150g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (56g) baking mix (such as Bisquick or my homemade version)
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (280ml) heavy or whipping cream
- 3/4 cup (263g) light or dark corn syrup (can use golden syrup)
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 large free range eggs
- sweetened whipped cream to serve
I always toast my nuts before I use them in any recipe. It just makes for a tastier finish. Toasting your nuts really brings out their flavors. This is very easily done. I have left a link in the recipe to a place that can show you how to perfectly do this in several different ways.
I tend to toast mine a whole bag at a time and then store them in the freezer, ready to use as and when I need them.
The recipe calls for corn syrup, light or dark. Corn syrup is a vital ingredient in pies such as this. It helps to sweeten and set them up properly. If you are in the UK you can use golden syrup. It works beautifully and adds an even nicer depth of flavor.
I cannot say if Maple syrup or other kinds of syrup will work as I have never used those kinds. I would not want to ever give anyone a bum steer and recommend anything I had not used already myself.
HOW TO MAKE IMPOSSIBLY EASY PECAN PIE
These kinds of pies really are a doddle to make!
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 9 X 1 1/4 inch pie dish really well. Set aside.
Whisk the brown sugar, baking mix, melted butter, whipping cream, corn syrup, vanilla and eggs together until well combined in a large beaker. Pour over the pecans in the pie dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a metal knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Leave to cool for five minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.
Serve with sweetened whipped cream on top. Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.
This was really delicious. Nice and nutty, and whilst there was no actually crust on the bottom, it really wasn't missed all that much.
A nice dollop of squirty cream went well on top. I would imagine a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream would also go very well! I believe that this pie would make a great, simple and easy addition to any holiday table!
Are you a big fan of nuts? We are all crazy about nuts in my family. They are quite simply one of our favorite food groups. Here are some recipes that I have made that use nuts beautifully!
PERFECT GRANOLA - I love a granola that is filled with lots of nuts. I try to get in as many different kinds as I can. All toasty and roasted along with plenty of toasted oats and maple syrup. I also like to add some large flake coconut for even more texture and flavor! This is the perfect recipe in my books and the one I make all the time. Beats the heck out of any store brand!
BANANA, COCONUT AND MACADAMIA NUT MUFFINS - These muffins are nice and moist, low in fat and filled with the additional flavours and textures of shredded coconut and macadamia nuts! This is one very tasty muffin! One of my favorites, which is saying a lot.
Yield: 8 servings
Impossibly Easy Pecan Pie
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 55 MinInactive time: 5 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M
Fabulously nutty. Quick and easy to make as well. No fuss, no muss, no rolling out of a crust. Delicious served warm with some whipped cream on top.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (181g) chopped toasted pecans
- 3/4 cup (150g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (56g) baking mix (such as Bisquick or my homemade version)
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (280ml) heavy or whipping cream
- 3/4 cup (263g) light or dark corn syrup (can use golden syrup)
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 large free range eggs
- sweetened whipped cream to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 9 X 1 1/4 inch pie dish really well. Set aside.
- Toast and chop your nuts. Sprinkle them into the bottom of your buttered pie dish.
- Whisk the brown sugar, baking mix, melted butter, whipping cream, corn syrup, vanilla and eggs together until well combined in a large beaker. Pour over the pecans in the pie dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a metal knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Leave to cool for five minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.
- Serve with sweetened whipped cream on top. Any leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
This is a recipe that my sister gave to me several months ago now. She makes these quite often. Not only are they delicious, but as far as nut snacks go, they are quite healthy as well.
A little bit sweet from the maple syrup, not too salty, and a tad bit buttery. They are an incredibly moreish snack that makes a great nibble!
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
Perfect to serve with drinks during the holiday season, or to take in a baggie when you are going on a hike. They also make great holiday gifts, packed in a nice jar along with perhaps a block of someone's favorite cheese and some crackers.
Because, yes, these are also great on a cheese or chacuterie board.
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
What I love most about them is that they are not too salty. Most of the nut combos you buy out there are loaded with salt. We all need to be careful about how much salt we are eating.
Once you get used to cutting back, a little bit of salt goes a very long way.
My mother always picked up a can or two of mixed nuts during the holidays. My father loved them. Someone always picked out all the cashews. One great thing about making your own nut mix is that you can have as many cashews in them as you want!
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ROASTED PARTY NUTS
Another thing I love about these nuts is that other than the nuts, you only need a very few ingredients, most of what you probably already have in house!
- 2 cups (340g) whole unblanched almonds
- 1 cup (120g) shelled pecan halves
- 1 cup (120g) shelled walnut halves
- 1 1/2 cups (167g) cashew nuts
- 2 TBS pure maple syrup
- 2 TBS butter, melted
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 TBS finely chopped fresh rosemary (optional, but very nice)
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
Feel free to use whatever nuts you like in this tasty snack. I happen to love pecans, walnuts, almonds and cashews. You could use macadamia nuts, or pistachios. The important thing to remember is that you have 5 1/2 cups of nuts in total.
You can even use pepitas (pumpkin seeds). These will give the mix a bit of color. Nice and green for the holidays.
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
Don't even think about using pancake syrup in these. Use only pure Maple Syrup. This is what gives these nuts their hint of sweetness.
I love the addition of some fresh rosemary. It adds a nice herby touch, but you can leave it out if you want, or try using another herb. Thyme is also very nice.
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
One thing which I really love about these nuts is that they are naturally sweetened with the Maple Syrup. Just a tiny bit which means that they are only very lightly glazed and not at all sticky in the hands.
What a wonderful combination it makes with the cayenne pepper. The cayenne is what gives the nuts a subtle bit of a spark! By all means leave it out if you are not fond of a bit of spice.
You could also use some different spices if you wanted to. Chili powder would be nice as would ground Cumin and coriander.
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
Use only real butter, not margarine. The butter adds a depth of richness to the mix, but because there is only a small amount, they are not greasy in the least.
If you are watching dairy, or keeping dairy free, by all means use olive oil in its place.
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
HOW TO MAKE ROASTED PARTY NUTS
It couldn't be easier. (I know I say that all the time, but really, I am lazy, so its true. I don't do complicated if I can possibly help it!)
Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*c/ gas mark 3. Line a large baking sheet with some baking parchment or a silicone sheet.
Put all of the nuts into a large bowl.
Whisk together the maple syrup, melted butter, salt, vanilla, cayenne pepper and rosemary until well combined. Pour this mixture over the nuts in the bowl. Toss together to coat completely.
Pour the nuts onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread out into a single layer.
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the nuts are golden brown and lightly glazed.
Remove from the oven and give a final stir. Allow to cool completely.
Store in an airtight zip lock baggie for up to 2 months. You can freeze them for longer storage. Just give them a quick refresh in a low oven for optimum flavor.
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
I love that these are so easy to make and healthier than most nut mixes. I love that there is not a lot of salt or sugars in them, and the only sweetener used is natural. That makes me feel really good about them.
Mostly I love that I got the recipe from my sister. 💓
I recently found a recipe for roasted nuts you can cook in the air fryer. I want to give them a go as well! You know how much I love my air fryer!
.JPG "Roasted Party Nuts")
Some other tasty snacks or nibbles that you might enjoy are:
BUTTER ROASTED SALTED NUTS - Incredibly moreishly delicious and so much better for you than the already salted nuts you pick up in the shops, with no transfats, or chemicals and you control the salt. Nice and buttery, but not greasy.
NO BAKE LEMON COCONUT BALLS - Two of my favorite things are lemon and coconut! To have them both combined in one delicious snack is just great. For them to be as quick and easy to make as these are just the icing on the cake! No bake, no fuss, no muss.
Yield: 5 1/2 cups
Roasted Party Nuts
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
These nuts are incredibly moreish. A little bit sweet. A little bit spicy. A whole lotta bit tasty!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (340g) whole unblanched almonds
- 1 cup (120g) shelled pecan halves
- 1 cup (120g) shelled walnut halves
- 1 1/2 cups (167g) cashew nuts
- 2 TBS pure maple syrup
- 2 TBS butter, melted
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 TBS finely chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*c/ gas mark 3. Line a large baking sheet with some baking parchment or a silicone sheet.
- Put all of the nuts into a large bowl.
- Whisk together the maple syrup, melted butter, salt, vanilla, cayenne pepper and rosemary until well combined. Pour this mixture over the nuts in the bowl. Toss together to coat completely.
- Pour the nuts onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread out into a single layer.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the nuts are golden brown and lightly glazed.
- Remove from the oven and give a final stir. Allow to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight zip lock baggie for up to 2 months.
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