Sunday, March 28, 2010

'Allo Almond!

Only recently have I begun to really appreciate the whole "sweet and salty" thing. I'm not at the bacon lolly stage of the appreciation process, I'm not sure if I ever will be, but I'm definitely moving in the right direction (my diabetes prone genes aren't quite so enthused but they don't get a vote. Just as I'm sure my Nan's diabetes will be passed down to me, I know that her (unintentional) setting the norm high, then impressing us all with her "low" numbers will be passed down as well).
These sugar coated almonds were like, a step to be compared with the whole moon landing thing. There was actually sugar and salt sitting together in a bowl! Just sitting there screaming about being sweet and salty and delicioooous. I initially made them because my sister is getting her vegetarian on and I thought these would help her get all healthy and iron filled, just so long as she ignored all of the ingredients other than the almonds... In the end though they became the official snack of Valentines weekend, the weekend my parents came to visit. I made the small batch then blammo, a kilo of almonds were very quickly bought and de-healthied and divvied up between the fim fam. Followed by a startlingly competitive game of Uno. Dad, I hope I never get in like a knife fight with you, that look in your eyes over your Uno cards, wow, just, wow.
Measuring out the almonds, I wont disclose just how many cups of almonds were made, I don't want to be judged... Oh wait, I already told you a kilo, damn.
Honey, oil and water, they don't like each other, they definitely didn't want to be in the same saucepan, but my, don't they make a handsome trio?
Ever so slightly overcooked almonds (totally didn't matter, such things are trivial when covered in this much sugar).
My pretty cup measure my sister got me for my birthday, very fitting for these Valentines weekend almonds.
Two thoughts come to my mind when looking at this photo: northern hemisphere christmas, and people with diabetes looking at my blog then having one of their feet drop off immediately upon seeing this photo (something that I always told my Nan would happen if she had another piece of cake. I know it sounds horrible, but I figure I'll have it one day so I'm allowed to joke, right?)
Coated. Setting. Getting slowly eaten by Michelle while she cleans up...
Almonds don't lie.
Honey Roasted Almonds
who got it from
Recipe from Cooks.com
2 cups Raw Almonds
2 TBS Honey
2 TBS Water
2 TBS Oil (Almond, Peanut or Canola)
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
  1. Heat the oven to 175C. Place the almonds in a single layer on a baking tray and cook for 10 minutes. Take them out and let them cooool.
  2. Bring the water, oil and honey to the boil in a medium saucepan then add the almonds and stir for a few minutes till they soak up most of the excess liquid. (I had a bit still swirling round in there but just poured it all into the salt and sugar mix, this could be why I felt it necessary to eat my almonds with a spoon...)
  3. Mix the sugar and salt together and add the almonds, shake them round till they're all coated then spread them out on a baking paper lined baking tray and let set. (This is where you should shape your almonds into messages, if you so feel the need, like some people do...)
  4. Now go eat them all. I don't know how long they last, but hey, I don't think anyone in the history of these almonds has ever had the opportunity to find out.