Honey Toffee Walnuts

This recipe is one of the reasons why I don’t mind scavenging around under walnut trees on cold autumn days, because these toasted walnuts covered in crispy toffee are absolutely delicious. Eat them as a tasty snack on their own, or chop them up finely to use as cake decorations, dessert topping, or sprinkle over vanilla ice-cream.

RECIPE: HONEY TOFFEE WALNUTS

1 ½ cups walnut halves

50g butter

50g sugar

1 teaspoon honey

1. Place walnuts on a baking paper-covered oven tray and place in oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 8-10 minutes, until walnuts are dry and crisp, then set the tray of walnuts aside, making sure to arrange the walnuts in a single layer and close together ready to be covered with the honey toffee.

2. In a fry-pan, place butter, sugar and honey. Heat on medium until boiling. Boil slowly for about 5 minutes, until the mixture turns a light golden colour. (Test a few drops of the mixture in a bowl of cold water – when the mixture is ready it should crackle, and be a crisp consistency.)

3. Pour the hot toffee mixture over the prepared walnuts (drizzling it over rather than completely covering the walnuts). Work quickly with a fork to separate the walnuts so they set as separate pieces.

4. Note: You will not need all the toffee mixture so with the remainder, pour it onto the baking paper and spread in a thin layer. When the toffee is set you can snap it into small pieces of honey toffee.