Stuffed Caramel Walnuts From Cleopatra Recipes

CARAMELIZED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line heavy rimmed baking sheet with foil. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Combine sugar and vinegar in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add nuts; toss to coat. Transfer mixture to baking sheet.
• Bake until nuts are deep brown and syrup thickens and coats nuts, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheet. Break nuts apart. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

WALNUT CARAMELS

Steps:

• Line a 13x9-in. pan with foil; grease foil with 2 teaspoons butter., In a large heavy saucepan, combine cubed butter, sugar, 1 cup cream and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage). Stir in remaining cream very slowly so that mixture does not stop boiling., Using a pastry brush dipped in water, wash down the sides of the pan to eliminate sugar crystals. Cook and stir until thermometer reads 245° (firm-ball stage)., Remove from heat; stir in walnuts and vanilla. Immediately pour into prepared pan (do not scrape saucepan). Let stand until firm, about 5 hours or overnight., Using foil, lift candy out of pan; remove foil. Using a buttered knife, cut caramel into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper; twist ends.

STUFFED CARAMEL WALNUTS FROM CLEOPATRA

Steps:

• Mix the almond flour (milled almonds, grind your own in a food processor or blender if you like) with the sugar and enough orange essence to form a paste.
• Place a little of this paste between two walnut halves and press.
• Melt the sugar in a pan with a few drops of water and when it starts to turn to caramel, remove it from the heat source and dip the nuts inside to coat them with caramel.
• Set them out on grease proof paper to dry.
• Note: for an easy shortcut you can use store bought marzipan or almond paste and simply knead the orange extract into that instead of preparing your own from alond flour in step 1; then proceede with the rest of the recipe as written.