Festive Nut Bowl Recipes

FESTIVE NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 10-in. tube pan., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter with almonds, cashews, pecans and walnuts., Transfer to prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 60-65 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely., For glaze, in a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar and enough milk to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cake and, if desired, sprinkle with additional nuts.

FESTIVE JEWEL NUT BARS

Steps:

• 1. In a bowl, combine flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan.
• 2. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
• 3. While bottom layer is baking - make cream cheese layer by mixing the following in a small bowl:.
• 4. 1 regular package of philadelphia cream cheese (not the small size).
• 5. 1/3 cup of white granulated sugar.
• 6. 1 egg.
• 7. 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• 8. Mix cream cheese layer with electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Spread on crumb layer and then continue with recipe below.
• 9. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat egg. Add salt and remaining brown sugar.
• 10. Stir in the nuts, cherries and chocolate chips.
• 11. Spoon evenly over crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. Be careful not to over cook these.
• 12. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield 2 dozen.
• The original recipe does not call for a layer of cream cheese. I modified the recipe to suit my taste after I made it the first time without the cream cheese layer. I felt it was too dry and needed additional texture that the cream cheese layer adds nicely.

FESTIVE NUTS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°:F. Combine the sugar, spices and salt in a bowl; reserve. In a separate bowl, toss the nuts with the egg white; then toss nuts well with the sugar-spice mixture.
• 2. Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet, separating them as much as possible. Bake for 15 minutes. Using a metal spatula, scrape up the nuts and break them apart; return to the oven for 5 minutes more to dry them thoroughly. Let cool completely at room temperature. Before serving, mix in the dried cherries.