Nut Crunch Recipes

CARAMEL NUT CRUNCH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Mix cookie crumbs and peanuts; stir in butter. Press onto bottom and up sides of a greased 9-in. pie plate. Bake until set, 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., Fold candy bars into ice cream; spread into prepared crust. Drizzle with caramel and fudge toppings. Loosely cover and freeze until firm, at least 8 hours. If not serving right away, cover securely after it's frozen firm. If desired, drizzle with additional caramel and fudge toppings before serving.

NUT CRUNCH

Steps:

• 1. Put nuts in a greased cookie sheet.
• 2. Cook butter and sugar over low heat in a heavy saucepan, stir constantly until the color of peanut brittle. Pour this mixture over the nuts. Cool. Break into chunks. Store in airtight container.

POPCORN NUT CRUNCH

Steps:

• Place the popcorn and nuts in a lightly greased 5-qt. Dutch oven. Bake at 250° for 20 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and butter; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 290° (soft-crack stage). , Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Pour a small amount at a time over popcorn mixture, stirring constantly until the mixture is well coated. , Immediately spread on greased baking sheets. Cool; break into pieces. Store in airtight containers.

CARAMEL NUT CRUNCH

Steps:

• In a saucepan, heat the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt over medium heat for 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly., In a large heat-proof bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour hot syrup over cereal mixture; stir until well coated. Spread into greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 300° for 30 minutes or until crisp, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until slightly firm.

MIXED-NUT BUTTER-CRUNCH CANDY

Steps:

• To set up: Butter a baking sheet (about 10 by 12) and line the sheet with of parchment paper (allow excess paper at both ends). Grease paper and set sheet aside. Reserve any remaining melted butter for later. Line two more shallow baking sheets or trays with waxed paper for holding and chilling assembled candy and set them aside. Cut each stick of butter in half and place next to work surface, along with measured salt, baking soda, vanilla and coarsely chopped macadamia nuts. Place chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set aside. Place a cup of hot water next to stove and put a pastry brush in water.
• To prepare toffee: Place a 2 1/2-quart heavy bottomed saucepan on the stove. Place water, sugar and corn syrup in the pan and stir gently to combine. Place pan over medium heat and as sugar dissolves, swirl pan gently. Let mixture come to a rolling boil and, once boiling and mixture is clear, don't stir or swirl pan anymore. If, while sugar is boiling, any sugar crystals cling to sides of pan, use moistened pastry brush to wash sides of the pan. Cook syrup until starts becoming a very light amber color. Lower heat and add butter, one half stick at a time, stirring very gently. (Only add additional butter after preceding piece has become melted and fully incorporated.) Once all the butter has been added, place candy thermometer into mixture, making sure that the bottom tip does not touch the bottom of the pan. Raise heat to medium and boil mixture until the temperature reads between 295 degrees F and 300 degrees F. Remove thermometer from pan and pan from stove and immediately stir in salt, baking soda, vanilla and macadamia nuts. (Quickly stick thermometer it warm water to aid in clean up.) Immediately, pour candy mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Brush the bottom of a long off-set metal spatula (an icing spatula is perfect) or a knife with some melted butter. Spread the candy mixture out so that it is 1/4-inch thick. Use the knife to push the sides back into a rectangular shape as the mixture cools. Let the mixture set for a few minutes.
• To melt chocolate: While toffee firms up a bit, melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a skillet with 1-inch of hot but not simmering water (stirring constantly until smooth). Be careful not to allow any water to enter bowl of chocolate.
• To cut candy: While candy mixture is still warm and pliable, use a buttered pastry scraper to score the candy into 1 1/2 by 2-inch rectangles. Let set further until the candy is firmer (5 minutes at room temperature). Score again through original cuts, making sure candy is in separate squares all the way through to the bottom. ( If stubborn, use your pastry scraper and mallet to knock through any sticky, tough spots. Hit the top (wooden part) of the scraper with a heavy mallet.)
• To fully assemble candy and chill: When chocolate is firm, pour melted chocolate over top of scored candy and, using a spatula, spread it out evenly. It's okay if the chocolate runs down into grooves in candy. Scatter 2 cups of the ground toasted nuts on top of the chocolate and press them into the chocolate. Reserve the remaining 1 cup of nuts. Lift one end of the parchment paper so the first line of cut candy bends and separates from the next line. Carefully lift one piece off at a time. Sprinkle with some additional nuts to coat any exposed chocolate. Place candy on prepared baking sheets lined with waxed paper (in a single layer) and refrigerate (covered with plastic wrap) so chocolate will harden. Once set, place candy in an air-tight tin, separated in layers with waxed paper. Although these candies may be stored at room temperature, to best preserve fresh flavor, store them in the refrigerator.

NUTTY CHOCOLATE CRUNCH

Steps:

• Butter and line a 20cm square tin with non-stick baking parchment. In a large bowl, combine the biscuits and nuts, halving any larger nuts. Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth and glossy, then pour this over the biscuit and nut mixture.
• Tip the mixture into the tin, then flatten lightly - it doesn't need to be completely smooth. Chill for at least 2 hrs or overnight before cutting into squares.

CHERRY NUT CRUNCH

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar, flour, and oats with butter until crumbly.
• Sprinkle one-half of crumb mixture in bottom of a 9 inch square baking dish. Pour cherry pie filling over mixture.
• Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture over top of cherry pie filling. Sprinkle with pecans.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.
• Great served with ice cream!
• Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE NUT CRUNCH

Steps:

• Grease a 15" X 10" cookie sheet and set aside.
• Place sugar, butter, salt and water in heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until mixture reaches soft-ball stage (234F-240F on candy thermometer).
• Stir in 1/2 cup nuts and pour onto prepared cookie sheet. Spread with greased spatula to about 1/4" thickness and set aside until cool.
• Place chocolate in heavy saucepan and cook over low heat until melted. Spread melted chocolate over cooled nut mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup nuts.
• Set aside until chocolate is firmly set.
• Break into pieces as you would peanut brittle.
• Store in airtight container.
• NOTE: You may even want to drizzle some melted white chocolate or sprinkle red or green sprinkles for serving during the holidays.

CRANBERRY-APPLE NUT CRUNCH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine first four ingredients and mix well. Place in a 2-qt. baking dish; set aside. For topping, combine oatmeal, nuts, flour, sugar and butter in another bowl. Mix well; spoon evenly over fruit mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and tender. Garnish with cranberries. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.