These make great holiday gifts for friends, teachers, etc. The quantity of nuts is flexible – I’ve used as many as 9 cups.
- 6 c. pecan halves
- 2 c. whole almonds
- 2 egg whites
- 2 T. cold water
- ½ c. sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. ground cloves
- ¼ tsp. allspice
Preheat oven to 250. Line a large cookie sheet with foil greased with butter (don’t use Crisco – you’ll taste it). Have the foil large enough so that it will turn up around the edges (you’ll be grasping it later).
With a fork, beat egg whites and cold water till well-mixed. Add salt, sugar, and spices, then beat with an electric mixer on low speed till very well blended (a minute or two). Toss the nuts with this mixture till they are well-coated.
Spread the nuts and any remaining liquid on the cookie sheet and bake for about an hour. The mixture should look dry; if you see any wet patches between the nuts, put the pan back in the oven for 10-15 min.
Remove from oven and cool slightly. Then grasp the edges of the foil and flip the whole thing over onto the cookie sheet. Carefully peel off the foil and check the underside of the nuts. The coating may be soft (it will crisp up as it cools), but it should be dry to the touch. If it’s still sticky in places, put the whole thing back in the oven, underside up, for a few minutes.
Cool and break into chunks. Store in an airtight container. Makes 8 cups of nuts.