Twelve's Masala Chai Spiced Nuts

After Twelve's award-winning Pastry Chef Georgia Macon made these Masala Chai Spiced Nuts, we knew we had to share the recipe so you can make them at home for years to come! A lovely homemade gift - these nuts offer warming spices, citrus, herbs, and of course, the salty sweet perfection we look for with spiced nuts. The texture is simply divine... All our compliments to the chef! Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup whole blanched almonds, lightly toasted
• 3/4 cup pecan halves
• 3/4 cup cashews
• 3/4 cup hazelnuts, lightly toasted
• 5/8 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon SKORDO Masala Chai Spice Blend
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (like SKORDO Cyprus Flaked Sea Salt)

Instructions:

1. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and spray liberally. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, add sugar and water, stirring to make sure all sugar is hydrated. Cook over medium high heat, until water has evaporated and the sugar looks syrupy and is producing large, glossy bubbles.
2. Add all the nuts and, with a wooden spoon, stir vigorously over the continued heat. Soon, the sugar will crystalize and look like sand. Keep stirring! Continue to stir and scrape, taking care to continuously run your spoon along the bottom and sides of the pot and jostle the nuts, until the sugar begins to re-liquify and caramelize around the seeds. After 5-6 minutes of stirring, the grainy sugars should be glossy, smoky, and re-caramelized.
3. Once the caramel has fully formed around the nuts, immediately kill the heat. Stir in the demerarra sugar, spice, rosemary, orange zest, and butter, and *quickly* tip the contents out onto greased paper. Top immediately and liberally with flaky sea salt. Use gloved hands to spread nuts out and break up any large clusters that may be forming. Allow to cool completely at room temp on tray before storing.