Candied Almonds (& Walnuts)

One of the items available at Swedish Christmas markets is Mandels, or cinnamon roasted almonds.  I love to make and munch on these at Christmastime, and sometimes even share with friends and neighbors.  The recipe I had used before instructed me cook them on the stove top.  This was quick and easy with only a few ingredients, but since I was starting with raw almonds it made for a chewy (in a bad way) result.  One of the commenters suggested baking the nuts first, so this year I decided to try a different recipe that  involved beating an egg white (a little gloss for the finished product?) and roasting for an hour, stirring periodically.  That made sweet and crunchy cinnamon almonds - perfect!

Side note: My friend Kathy had the church gals over for a Christmas party this week, and she gave us bags of candied walnuts.  Mmm!  I may have eaten them for breakfast the next morning. Walnuts would probably work with the stovetop method since they have a good texture to begin with.

Cinnamon-Roasted Almonds
Original recipe here

1 egg white
1 teaspoon cold water
4 cups whole raw almonds (600g sötmandel)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
2. Lightly beat the egg white; add water, and beat until frothy but not stiff. Add the nuts, and stir until well coated. Mix the sugar, salt, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the nuts. Toss to coat, and spread evenly on the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then store nuts in airtight containers.