Crazy-Good Spiced Nut Mix

When I hear David Lebovitz's name mentioned, I usually associate it with dessert recipes as he is a former pastry/dessert chef with Chez Pannise restaurant, among others,  as well as the author of some remarkable  desserts/sweets cookbooks.  Yes!


But there is way more to the man than that ~ besides the four wildly popular books on desserts he has written, he also is the author of one of my favorite blogs:

http://davidlebovitz.com/

I adore his writing style and sharp yet subtle wit, as well as his marvelous photography and great recipes.

The recipe for this nut mix is from his book
The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City ,
a highly entertaining read about his life in Paris since moving from the U.S. 
 

Bonus Alert~ throughout the book David shares over 50 of his recipes for appetizers/snacks, main dishes, sides and glorious desserts. I love that!

When I read about this spiced nut mix I knew I wanted to make it right away.

The combination of seasonings (brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, unsweetened cocoa powder, chili powder or smoked paprika and coarse salt) may seem a little odd; but trust me this combination is perfection.


David has the proportions of the spices calculated concisely so no one flavor dominates ~ a seductive combination of slightly sweet, salty... and other rich flavors which defy identification--- but it all just works seamlessly ---
I can't describe it, you simply must try them for yourself ! 

The recipe could hardly be more simple ~ toast the raw nuts of your choice, and while the nuts are in the oven mix up the seasonings in a large bowl.  Then toss the warm nuts with the seasoning to coat thoroughly, mix in the pretzel twists and return to the oven for 15 minutes. 

And that's all there is to it. 


The seasoning ingredients meld into a glaze while roasting, adhering to the nut mix  in a most delightful way ~ once cool break into clusters and serve. They keep up to 5 days or so, stored airtight at room temperature. 


These would make a perfect little gift from your kitchen.
If you try them, I hope you like them!

If you would like a printable copy of the recipe,
please visit the Once Upon a Plate recipe blog HERE.

Thank you for stopping by to visit today;  I truly appreciate any comments you would like to share.