Spiced Chocolate Nut Patties Food

SPICED COCOA NUTS

Steps:

• Arrange oven racks to the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, white sugar, cocoa powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and salt. Whisk together to combine, breaking up any lumps in the brown sugar.
• Add the egg white and water to a large bowl and whisk vigorously until foamy and light. Add the nuts to the egg white mixture and use a large spatula to mix the nuts until they are completely covered in egg white -- but not gloopy. Nuts should be glossy and tacky -- and there shouldn't be any liquid remaining at the bottom of the bowl -- it should all be on the nuts. If there is excess liquid, add more nuts and continue to toss until they are completely coated. Add the spice mixture to the nuts and fold the spice into the nuts until completely coated.
• Divide the nuts between the two baking sheets and spread evenly into a single layer. Place one pan on the upper rack and the other on the lower rack and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the nuts and stir or flip them. Spread into a single layer and move the baking sheet that was on the top rack to the lower rack and vice versa. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
• Cool the nuts on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a heat proof bowl to finish cooling. They harden and crisp as they cool. Store in an airtight container.

SPICED NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spread the nuts out on a large baking sheet. Bake until the nuts are lightly toasted, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Transfer the nuts to a serving bowl. Pour in the butter and toss to coat evenly. Serve warm or room temperature.

PEPPERMINT PATTIES

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Beat 2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar with corn syrup, water, peppermint extract, shortening, and a pinch of salt using an electric mixer (with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium speed until just combined. Knead on a work surface dusted with remaining 1/4 cup confectioners sugar until smooth. Roll out between sheets of parchment paper on a large baking sheet into a 7- to 8-inch round (less than 1/4 inch thick). Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Remove top sheet of paper and sprinkle round with confectioners sugar. Replace top sheet, then flip round over and repeat sprinkling on other side.
• Cut out as many rounds as possible with cutter, transferring to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, gather scraps, reroll, and freeze, then cut out more rounds, freezing them.
• Temper chocolate and coat filling:
• Melt three fourths of chocolate in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Remove bowl from pan and add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool until thermometer inserted at least 1/2 inch into chocolate registers 80°F.
• Return water in pan to a boil and remove from heat. Set bowl with cooled chocolate over pan and reheat, stirring, until thermometer registers 88 to 91°F. Remove bowl from pan.
• Balance 1 peppermint round on a fork and submerge in melted chocolate, letting excess drip off and scraping back of fork against rim of bowl if necessary, then return patty to sheet (to make decorative ridges on patty, immediately set bottom of fork briefly on top of patty, then lift fork straight up). Coat remaining rounds, rewarming chocolate to 88 to 91°F as necessary. Let patties stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour.

CHOCOLATE NUT PATTIES

Steps:

• Cover a heating pad with a kitchen towel, and set pad to lowest setting. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper, and set aside. Using a sharp knife, shave chocolate.
• In a medium glass bowl, heat two-thirds of the chocolate in microwave at 30 percent power for 1 minute. Stir chocolate, and continue heating at 30 percent power in 10-second intervals until an instant-read thermometer registers 120 degrees. Remove from microwave.
• Stir in remaining shaved chocolate with rubber spatula. Stir constantly, bringing chocolate up sides and back down into bowl until temperature reaches between 86 degrees and 89 degrees. To determine if tempered, drizzle a thin line onto a cool stainless-steel surface. The chocolate should dry to a matte finish in about 5 minutes. Place bowl on covered heating pad; stir occasionally to maintain temperature between 86 degrees and 89 degrees, adjusting setting if necessary.
• Working quickly, pour 2 tablespoons of tempered chocolate onto prepared sheets to form 2-inch patties, spaced 2 inches apart. Let chocolate stand until it just begins to set. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon chopped nuts in each center; set aside in cool place to harden. Once completely set, transfer to an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

FLORIDA CHOCOLATE-DIPPED COCONUT PATTIES

Steps:

• Make the coconut filling: In a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, butter, egg white, and salt until very liquid and warm to the touch, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and, with a spoon, stir in the coconut and vanilla until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, up to overnight.
• When ready to coat the coconut, in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water melt the chocolate. When almost melted, turn off the heat and let the chocolate continue to melt completely, stirring occasionally. Keep the bowl over the warm water.
• Form the balls: Line a small tray with parchment paper. Using a scant ounce of the coconut mixture, roll into a small ball and place on the parchment-lined tray. Repeat with the remaining mixture, forming 18 balls.
• Arrange 18 paper or foil minicups on the tray. Place additional coconut in a shallow pan or bowl. Gently place 1 of the balls into the warm melted chocolate and, using 2 forks, roll the ball in the chocolate until well coated. Lift (do not pierce) the coated coconut ball with one of the forks, allowing some of the chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Roll in the additional grated coconut, if desired, and carefully place in 1 of the prepared cups. Repeat with the remaining coconut balls and melted chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened and use as desired.

CHICKPEA & NUT BURGERS WITH SWEET POTATO CHIPS

Steps:

• To make the yogurt sauce, stir together the yogurt and mint in a bowl and cover and chill until needed.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Half fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the sweet potato wedges and cook for 4 mins then drain through a colander and return to the saucepan. Pour over the oil, tossing until lightly coated then season with ground black pepper.
• Scatter the potatoes onto a small baking tray and roast for 15 mins. Take out of the oven and turn over, then cook for a further 10 mins or until tender and lightly browned.
• While the chips are cooking, make the burgers. Put the onion, garlic, nuts and spices into a food processor and add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Blitz until as smooth as possible. Add the chickpeas, flour, coriander and lemon juice and blitz until the mixture comes together to make a thick paste. It shouldn't be too smooth as you are looking for some texture to give the burgers a bit of bite. Form the mixture into 4 balls and flatten into burgers, just under 2cm/ 3/4in deep.
• Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a medium non-stick pan over a low heat and cook the burgers on one side for 5 mins. Add the remaining 1 tsp of oil to the pan and turn over. Cook on the other side for a further 5 mins or until nicely browned and cooked throughout, keeping the heat low, so they don't burn.
• Divide the salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions between two plates. Add the burgers, chips and mint sauce, plus a couple of lemon wedges for squeezing. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the salad and serve.

SWEET & SPICY NUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Mix the oil with the spices, then stir in the nuts and drizzle over half the honey. Spread over a baking sheet and cook for 10 mins.
• Remove from the oven and drizzle over the remaining honey, then return to the oven and cook for a further 10 mins. Allow to cool completely.

SPICED CHOCOLATE NUT PATTIES

Steps:

• Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and ginger and cardamom; set aside. 2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and cashew butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Add sugar and honey. Beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined. 3. Using rubber spatula, fully combine flour mixture into butter mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 4. Remove dough from refrigerator. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each ball with a fork making crisscross lines. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool.