Standing on my parents’ deck, face tipped up catch the sun, breathing in warmth after a week of minus temperatures and fingers frozen by scraping ice from car windows.
Leaning over the balcony remembering how, in spring, this very spot is heady with the scent of sweet jasmine flowers. Watching our dog totter around the garden, an old lady now with a grey snout and trusting eyes.
Thinking of the morning’s flowing conversation with Fiona at our regular haunt with our regular teas (lemon ginger for me, Turkish apple for her), words skipping from boys to snow to memories to jobs to choir to hopes and back again. Laughing, shaking heads, hushed voices, thoughtful.
Hugging my parents tight, gasping with giggles, knowing that wherever they are will always be home. Darting into the kitchen, a lightbulb idea for a new flavour of sweet-spiced nuts shining in my mind.
Golden syrup’s unique strong-yet-mellow sweetness, rich pecans, buttery walnuts, warm ginger and cinnamon, pops of sesame, sea salt flakes. Heavenly aroma, sticky from the oven, crisp and addictive once cooled.
Perfect.
Golden Syrup Spiced Nuts with Sesame
- 1 cup (110g) pecans
- 1 cup (110g) walnuts
- 1 tb (15ml) coconut or canola oil
- 3 tb (45ml) golden syrup (can substitute any liquid sweetener of your choosing, such as agave, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup)
- 1/8 – 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 – 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tb (15ml) sesame seeds
- pinch of sea salt flakes
- Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Tip the pecans and walnuts onto the tray and stir to mix.
- In a small bowl, mix the oil, golden syrup, and spices. Pour this over the nuts and toss to coat. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and sea salt, then stir to combine.
- Bake for around 30 minutes, stirring every 8-10 minutes, until the nuts are lightly toasted and golden. The nuts and syrup will be a little sticky at this point, but will become ridiculously-gloriously crispy once cooled.
- If you can, share this perfection with those you love. Although, sometimes, it’s perfect to make a treat for you-only-you.
Submitted to Ricki’s Wellness Weekend.
These sound like the bar nuts my grandma always has at her house but soo much better because of the pecans! I love sticky and sweet, yet crunchy and salty snacks so these would be very much enjoyed over here
I think you’d love them; they’re not too sweet. I usually make the Union Square recipe, but felt like getting my experiment on.
Oh yes. All the things, yes.
You’re one of the things.
I’ve only recently discovered the heavenly nectar that is golden syrup, but oh man do I love it to pieces! I would use it all the time if only it wasn’t so miserably expensive around here, and somewhat hard to come by. This sounds like the perfect way to feature it, though.
I’m ridiculously excited by your love of golden syrup. Australia FTW! I love how it’s got more depth/less sweetness than most syrups, but isn’t as overpoweringly intense as, say, molasses. I’d love to see your creations with it!
I love the addition of sesame seed to granola – probably due to my tahini addiction. and the ginger! Well-played, friend.
Why thank you, friend. And yes, sesame seeds are glorious in all the things.
I have never tried golden syrup, and yet somehow I’m pretty sure I know exactly how it tastes and that it is indeed delicious. I’d find it very hard not to gobble up that whole bowl.
A bit less smoky than treacle, is how I’d describe it. Does that accord with your imaginings?
I can’t even tell you how much of this batch I ate standing over the pan. “Just one more… just one more…” The problem was, they get so crackly-crisp that picking up “one” pecan tends to mean picking up six pecans and walnuts stuck together. It’s awesome.
I didn’t know it had been that icy cold in Canberra. It’s cold enough here but we don’t have ice. But we have RAIN and too much of it. These nuts look delicious. I bet they must smell amazing when they’re cooking. What a great, inspirational recipe. xx
Oh yes, we’ve been having minus (overnight) temperatures all through May, which is plum ridiculous because that’s Autumn. AUTUMN BY CRIKEY. Though I think I’d prefer out clear-sky-crispness to rain! Hope you’re staying dry
Wishning it was this Fiona
Teehee. You’re the one who moved away!
xo
And just like that, you have again won my heart!
*laughs* And you, in turn, have brought great joy to my day.
oooo yum yum!
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!
I totally used golden syrup, cinnamon and ginger on my porridge this morning, I can just imagine how good this would be.
We’re like flavourmind-twins of awesomeness.
I love doing this too! Buy ive never tried it with golden syrup, i usually use honey. Im going to try it next time.
Definitely do! It comes out a little less sweet than honey-roasted nuts, which I love, but you could always up the amount of golden syrup if you like it sweeter
Golden syrup = childhood… wintery nights in NZ…. Mum making her famous Golden syrup Steamed pudding (with vanilla ice cream ) Ah, food memories!
Oh, plus licking the lid of the Golden Syrup tin
Sweeeeeetie yum yum
Absolutely! Other people can keep their condensed milk tins, you and I will take the golden syrup.
Gorgeous, Lou. I love how you had golden syrup steamed puds in your childhood, and we had Indian Corn Pudding which was similar, except made with polenta and maple syrup. I once made golden syrup dumplings, and my gosh! They were tasty but so filling!
Um, yum. The golden syrup + salty-savoury combo is one I tried on spiced nuts last year, but it was too little golden syrup to too much spice. I like the sound of these much better. I think I will try them next time I knock off work early
The golden syrup really isn’t overpowering in this recipe, so I’d definitely love to hear your thoughts if you try/compare them! Though I guess it could depend on the golden syrup brand? Anyhoo, I love that we had the same flavour idea. Hurrah!
LOL gosh I don’t think I’d be able to stop eating these if I made them:) But i’m gonna try for when I have a house party im sure the guests would love them hehe
It is SO HARD TO STOP. But sometimes, it’s okay not to
My workmates are loving them too!
Your house must smell amazing while these are in the oven. Back in the States, or at least the old-fashioned Southern part that I’m from, we get tins of spiced nuts at Christmas. Always homemade, always addictive. Now, with the seasons switched here in AU, I often forget to make my favourite winter treats in July. It’s like I think that I HAVE to eat these things in Dec. I’ll get used to it.
Lovely post, by the way. A calm and quiet summation of the changing seasons and never-changing relationships.
In my family, we do the whole “winter traditional” roasted meal at Christmas, even when it’s sweltering hot, so I completely understand the disjunction between season and holiday food associations
And thank you for your words. Truly.
‘Trusting eyes and grey snout’ just like my Milly.
I WILL MAKE THESE DELICIOUS NUTS.
I will. Because I have ALL the ingredients, right now, in my cupboard! Whoo Hoo!
Yay!! Did someone send you golden syrup, or do they have it in Switzerland? Oh, I hope you like these! Let me know?
I’d like to think Milly and Jedda would be dear friends. Except for how Jedda’s never been very good with other dogs, the silly shy gorgeous thing.
My eyes are ogling these nuts – I am obsessed with golden syrup anything and everything
Cheers
CCU
Those look beyond good. When I was little, golden syrup on toast was my favourite thing – I think now it could well be golden syrup on nuts!
Nuts > toast forever and ever and always, so I think your thoughts are worth thinking
I have forgotten about golden syrup of late – it is in the pantry, but sadly under-used – and this is a welcome reminder to pull it out and put it to good use. And ginger and cinnamon, they are always welcome in my life. As is your writing
Oh Kari, thank you darling! xo
I will definitely try this
Hannah, I say this as solemnly as possible…you have a way with nuts.
*snorts*
*giggle* Someone had to say it. I just wish I could find some nuts I wanted to keep around for a longer period of time.
I want to smell the smell of jasmine flowers – that’s not something we have around here. I’m crazy for smelling the lilacs in the springtime, so I understand the restorative powers that lovely-smelling flowers have:)
I have never heard of such a thing as Turkish apple tea! It sounds fabulously intriguing, like something Charlotta the Fourth would be fond of.
When you come visit, we’ll make sure it’s in spring and then we can envelop ourselves in sweet jasmine before searching out honeysuckle and tasting the sweetness of just a few of its flowers. Not too many, because we have to leave some for other people.
My grandpa also grows the most beautiful and divinely-perfumed roses of all time. Oh, Anne Shirley! You’ve made me happy with that reference.
Not only do these nuts look good, but they would be so handy to have around as a post-exercise snack too! Also, yes, parents = home for me, too, so very much so.
Bahahaha, yes, “exercise”. Oh you crazy kids.
OH, these sound sensational! You’re so clever with creating things. And yes we’ve been enjoying the frosty, frozen weather too.
Thank you, Louise. I’ve been too exhausted to do much kitchen experimenting lately, so I’m glad these have been well received
This post was pure poetry. Just lovely
Thank you Jonathon! That means so much
Also, long time no see/hear! Hope you’ve been swell!
what a fluttery happy sweetly sticky post!
We had some lovely sun shine this afternoon but then the sun goes and the chill wind comes through the door and I wondered what I was thinking leaving it open! Wishing you lots of sunshine
Your first sentence made my chest puff up with happiness Johanna, thank you.
Oh yes, the sunshine is happy-making, but it definitely can’t be confused for actual warmth at present!
I know this with just sesame, they have it at my favorite Asian food store. Looks much prettier with pecans!
They have golden syrup roasted sesame seeds at an Asian store? How funny; I didn’t think Asian countries had much in the way of golden syrup!
Mmm… this looks yummy!
Your beautiful words are making me wish I was there to soak up the sun with you! This recipe sounds deliciously nutty.
Nuts are of course very healthy and oh so yummy….mmm…I think I do have some golden syrup sitting in the kitchen somewhere…
Thank you Jenny, that means so much! And hey, what’s an Aussie kitchen without golden syrup?
These look divine. I usually get much more excited about nuts and seeds than chocolate.
Gorgeous photos again, but it’s your story telling abilities that are really outstanding.
Oh Margaret, you know it’s the feedback about my writing that helps my soul far more than nuts, seeds, or chocolate ever could. Thank you xo
Beautiful. Perfect. Like you. Truly
Heidi xo
I love you so much sometimes. (Alltimes.) xo
These do sound heavenly! But oh, dear, I think Golden Syrup is very much like corn syrup, isn’t it? ie, refined sweetener–?? Can we use a brown rice syrup or agave sub instead? (pretty please, so we can keep it on WW??).
Happy to bow to your superior wisdom, my dear! Do the edits I’ve made to the recipe make it okay?
Yes, perfect. You are too good to me.
xo
You deserve all the goodness. All of it. x
This looks amazing! Glad I came across your blog Hannah! I’ll be subscribing for sure
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, DJ! What spectacularly lovely comment
I am ON this! You know I’ll go the brown rice syrup route but I cannot imagine it will detract from this warm and wonderful mix.
Sticky Nuts. Perfect