Recipe: Maple Candied Walnuts (using maple syrup and brown sugar)

MAPLE CANDIED WALNUTS

"This recipe is one I adapted from a 2000 Bon Appetit magazine that called for corn syrup and white sugar. I think this version has more pizzazz, with a nice balance of sweet and salty."

Vegetable oil spray
2 cups walnuts
4 tablespoons real maple syrup
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, five-spice powder and/or cayenne (to taste, optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously coat an 11-by-14-inch jelly roll pan with vegetable oil.

Toss the walnuts in a bowl with the syrup.

In another bowl, mix the sugar, salt, pepper and additional spices if desired. Toss with the walnuts.

Spread the nuts on the prepared pan, using a fork coated with vegetable oil spray to break up any clumps.

Place in oven for 5 minutes. Turn nuts over with a spatula. Turn oven down to 300 degrees and bake 5 to 8 minutes more, watching carefully to be sure nuts do not burn and stirring twice to break up any clumps. Nuts should be deep golden and bubbling.

Remove pan to wire rack, break up any clumps, then turn onto waxed or parchment paper and allow to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Makes 4 (4-ounce) gifts
Source: Linda Cicero, McClatchy Newspapers, December 2010