MAPLE CASHEWS RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar and syrup in 2-quart heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 4-9 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a full boil.
• Add butter; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, 10-18 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 300°F or small amount of mixture dropped into ice water forms a hard brittle strand.
• Remove from heat; stir in cashews and baking soda. Immediately pour mixture onto large buttered baking sheet, spreading evenly to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness. Cool completely. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Steps:

• First, roast the cashews on a cookie tray at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Test one of the nuts if you're not sure.
• While you're roasting the nuts, mix the maple syrup, cinnamon, margarine, and salt in a microwave-safe cup or bowl.
• Microwave the mixture until it boils, which should be around a minute.
• When the nuts are ready, take them out of the oven and pour them into the bowl containing the syrup mixture.
• Mix them around until they're moderately coated with syrup.
• (The syrup might not stick completely, but that's okay; you can sprinkle some on the nuts once you put them back on the pan.) At this point, you'll need to spray the tray with the non-stick spray.
• Pour the nuts back onto the tray.
• It's a good idea to spoon them back on the tray, as there may be leftover syrup in the bottom of the bowl, and you don't want that to end up in a pile on the tray.
• Continue roasting the nuts for 15 minutes more.
• You can turn the temperature down to 300 or 325 degrees at this point.
• Be sure to check them every once and a while- I use a toaster oven for this, and your cooking time may vary.
• Remove the tray from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
• Wait for the nuts to cool and the syrup to harden, and then remove them with a spatula.