Taste of Old Time Magic

I have a fond memory of Christmas past.  My mother, gone now but not forgotten, would stir up the most mouth watering treats.  This time of year I find myself hunting for and cooking up my moms favorite treat.  Thanks mom for being such a cooking mentor. 
One such treat that was only made and shared at Christmas time was my mom Spiced Nuts.
I've seen several knocks of this recipe but they just don't compare to the original.  Don't know where of when mom got this recipe or how long it's been in the family.
Today was my first time trying to duplicate what my mother did with ease.
Scared and nervous as I am more a cookie and pie maker.  Candy making is not something that I do well.
I always remember mom making her Spiced Nut Recipe with walnuts.  I decided to mix things up a bit and use not only walnuts but pecan and almonds.
I am so proud of myself!  This Christmas recipe couldn't be easier.  Even I could do it with success.
Here is the finished product.  So very addictive.  So very sweet.  So very easy.

Now if you are wanting to make up a quick treat for Santa instead of the usually cookies, here is what you do -

Spiced Nuts

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup boiling water

1 tsp white corn syrup

1 tble cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dry ground ginger

1/8 tsp dry ground cloves

 1/2 tsp vanilla

3 cups shelled whole nuts (your choice) placed in a very large mixing bowl

Add sugar, boiling water, corn syrup, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in a medium sized sauce pan.  Stir till sugar and spiced are dissolved over medium heat.  Continue cooking without stirring until syrup reaches the thread stage on a candy thermometer. (230 degrees F)

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour the mixture over the nuts that you have in the large bowl.

Mix, fold and stir nuts and syrup mixture until the mixture turn to sugar on the nuts.  This will take a couple minutes, just keep stirring.  Once nuts are sugar covered pour out on to a lightly sprayed cookie sheet, separating large nut clusters.  Cool, package and share.

Sound harder that it really is.  I double the recipe and it works out great.

Enjoy and have yourself a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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