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Spicy Pecans

Source of Recipe

From "The Hattie's Restaurant Cookbook"


Recipe Introduction

"Consider yourself warned: These little beauties are addictive. This recipe uses a potent blend of cayenne pepper, chili powder, and paprika mixed into a French meringue that, when baked, encases the pecans in a spicy, sweet shell. The result is crispy, sweet, and spicy pecans that are hard to stop eating once you start. Make a batch of these for your next party or just for the family for movie night or a ball game. They're always a hit. While we usually stick to pecans, the recipe will work with any nut or nut mixture you like."

List of Ingredients

• 3 large egg whites
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp Louisiana-style hot sauce
• 1 pound (4 to 5 cups) pecan halves


Recipe

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat the egg whites by hand with a whisk or electric mixer in a nonreactive bowl until they are foamy and have doubled in volume. Slowly add the sugar while whisking. Continue to whisk until the meringue thickens to form stiff peaks. Fold in the salt, spices, Worcestershire, and hot sauce with a rubber spatula. Fold in the pecans, coating them evenly. Turn out the pecans in a single layer onto a greased or nonstick baking pan.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 5 minutes. Pull out the pan and you will see that the meringue has puffed up. With a spoon or spatula, mix and move the nuts around, turning them over and breaking apart any large clumps. Return the pan to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, mixing the nuts every now and again to make sure they cook evenly. When the nuts are dry and toasted, remove from the oven and allow to cool before breaking up any clumps.

Yield: 1 pound pecans