Nut Crunch Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine first four ingredients and mix well. Place in a 2-qt. baking dish; set aside. For topping, combine oatmeal, nuts, flour, sugar and butter in another bowl. Mix well; spoon evenly over fruit mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and tender. Garnish with cranberries. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

Steps:

• To set up: Butter a baking sheet (about 10 by 12) and line the sheet with of parchment paper (allow excess paper at both ends). Grease paper and set sheet aside. Reserve any remaining melted butter for later. Line two more shallow baking sheets or trays with waxed paper for holding and chilling assembled candy and set them aside. Cut each stick of butter in half and place next to work surface, along with measured salt, baking soda, vanilla and coarsely chopped macadamia nuts. Place chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set aside. Place a cup of hot water next to stove and put a pastry brush in water.
• To prepare toffee: Place a 2 1/2-quart heavy bottomed saucepan on the stove. Place water, sugar and corn syrup in the pan and stir gently to combine. Place pan over medium heat and as sugar dissolves, swirl pan gently. Let mixture come to a rolling boil and, once boiling and mixture is clear, don't stir or swirl pan anymore. If, while sugar is boiling, any sugar crystals cling to sides of pan, use moistened pastry brush to wash sides of the pan. Cook syrup until starts becoming a very light amber color. Lower heat and add butter, one half stick at a time, stirring very gently. (Only add additional butter after preceding piece has become melted and fully incorporated.) Once all the butter has been added, place candy thermometer into mixture, making sure that the bottom tip does not touch the bottom of the pan. Raise heat to medium and boil mixture until the temperature reads between 295 degrees F and 300 degrees F. Remove thermometer from pan and pan from stove and immediately stir in salt, baking soda, vanilla and macadamia nuts. (Quickly stick thermometer it warm water to aid in clean up.) Immediately, pour candy mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Brush the bottom of a long off-set metal spatula (an icing spatula is perfect) or a knife with some melted butter. Spread the candy mixture out so that it is 1/4-inch thick. Use the knife to push the sides back into a rectangular shape as the mixture cools. Let the mixture set for a few minutes.
• To melt chocolate: While toffee firms up a bit, melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a skillet with 1-inch of hot but not simmering water (stirring constantly until smooth). Be careful not to allow any water to enter bowl of chocolate.
• To cut candy: While candy mixture is still warm and pliable, use a buttered pastry scraper to score the candy into 1 1/2 by 2-inch rectangles. Let set further until the candy is firmer (5 minutes at room temperature). Score again through original cuts, making sure candy is in separate squares all the way through to the bottom. ( If stubborn, use your pastry scraper and mallet to knock through any sticky, tough spots. Hit the top (wooden part) of the scraper with a heavy mallet.)
• To fully assemble candy and chill: When chocolate is firm, pour melted chocolate over top of scored candy and, using a spatula, spread it out evenly. It's okay if the chocolate runs down into grooves in candy. Scatter 2 cups of the ground toasted nuts on top of the chocolate and press them into the chocolate. Reserve the remaining 1 cup of nuts. Lift one end of the parchment paper so the first line of cut candy bends and separates from the next line. Carefully lift one piece off at a time. Sprinkle with some additional nuts to coat any exposed chocolate. Place candy on prepared baking sheets lined with waxed paper (in a single layer) and refrigerate (covered with plastic wrap) so chocolate will harden. Once set, place candy in an air-tight tin, separated in layers with waxed paper. Although these candies may be stored at room temperature, to best preserve fresh flavor, store them in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• To make the butter crunch mixture, melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat, stir in almonds, and pour out into prepared pan, spreading the mixture with the back of a spoon to fill the pan. Before the butter crunch hardens, but when it is firm enough to handle, turn it out onto a large parchment-covered cutting board and peel away the foil. Allow the butter crunch to cool completely. To finish the butter crunch, wipe the top surface of the candy with a damp paper towel to remove excess butter and allow to dry a few minutes. Have another cutting board or the back of a jelly-roll pan ready to turn the candy over onto. Use a small offset metal icing spatula to spread half the tempered chocolate quickly over the butter crunch. Scatter half the chopped almonds over the chocolate. Cover this finished surface with a piece of parchment paper or foil and place another cutting board or the back of a large jelly-roll pan. Remove top board and paper and quickly spread with remaining tempered chocolate and scatter on remaining almonds (it isn't necessary to wipe the second side because it wasn't against a buttered surface). Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set chocolate. Break the butter crunch into 2-inch pieces. Store candy in a tin or plastic container with a tight-fitting cover and keep at a cool room temperature for up to a week.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add rosemary and lemon zest and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add hazelnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until nuts are golden brown and rosemary and lemon zest are crisp, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Add sugar and lemon juice and continue cooking, stirring, until liquid darkens and nuts begin to caramelize, just a few seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Break apart into smaller pieces as desired. Crunch can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Mix cookie crumbs and peanuts; stir in butter. Press onto bottom and up sides of a greased 9-in. pie plate. Bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., Fold candy bars into ice cream; spread into prepared crust. Drizzle with caramel and fudge toppings. Loosely cover and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours. If not serving right away, cover securely after it's frozen firm. If desired, drizzle with additional caramel and fudge toppings before serving.

Steps:

• Gradually bring the honey to the boil, skimming off any impurities that may rise to the surface. Very coarsely chop the nuts and add to the honey along with 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 30 to 45 minutes. The mixture is done when you can hear the almonds beginning to "pop" from the heat of the honey. Take care not to let the nuts burn and turn dark and bitter. When done, stir in the remaining spice mixture.
• When the nucato is done, pour it out onto a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper; spread it into an even layer with the cut surface of a halved lemon. Cool completely before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, mix nut crunch ingredients. With pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in walnuts. Spread in ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips, marshmallows and milk over low heat, stirring constantly, just until chocolate and marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth. Refrigerate about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from a spoon.
• In chilled large bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff. Fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream. Fold 2 cups of the nut crunch into chocolate-cream mixture.
• In ungreased 13x9-inch pan, spread 1 cup of the nut crunch. Carefully spread chocolate-cream mixture over crunch. Sprinkle with remaining crunch (about 1 cup). Cover; refrigerate until set, at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a baking sheet, preferably rimmed.
• 2. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Heat over medium heat until mixture begins to simmer, about 3 minutes. Cover the pan and continue to simmer, allowing steam from cooking mixture to wash down the sides of the pan. Remove cover and continue to simmer until the mixture turns golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Immediately remove from the stove, and, to avoid mixture bubbling over, carefully pour cream in a slow, steady stream into the pan; do not stir. Return the pot to the stove, reduce heat to low, and, using a wooden spoon, gently stir mixture until cream is completely incorporated.
• 3. Transfer the caramel to a medium heat-proof bowl, add the nuts, and stir to coat the nuts evenly. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet, spreading it evenly, and bake until dark brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the brittle to room temperature and chop mixture coarsely using a food processor, a cleaver or by hand.
• 4. Cut the log into twenty 1/2-inch rounds, press one cut side of each round into the brittle, and arrange the rounds 2 inches apart on all sides on a parchment-lined or nonstick cookie sheet or sheets.
• 5. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the cookies with a spatula and cool on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Grease a 15" X 10" cookie sheet and set aside.
• Place sugar, butter, salt and water in heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture reaches soft-ball stage (234F-240F on candy thermometer).
• Stir in 1/2 cup nuts and pour onto prepared cookie sheet. Spread with greased spatula to about 1/4" thickness and set aside until cool.
• Place chocolate in heavy saucepan and cook over low heat until melted. Spread melted chocolate over cooled nut mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup nuts.
• Set aside until chocolate is firmly set.
• Break into pieces as you would peanut brittle.
• Store in airtight container.
• NOTE: You may even want to drizzle some melted white chocolate or sprinkle red or green sprinkles for serving during the holidays.