Friday, May 13, 2016
Wet walnuts is an indulgent, salty-sweet concoction of toasted nuts and pure maple syrup that will knock your socks off.
I was introduced to the ice cream topping known as “wet walnuts” at a young age. Were you? (It could be a Canadian thing).
Well, if you haven’t met wet walnuts before, it’s time. This isn’t an everyday food, mind you. While walnuts are full of heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats, fiber, protein, magnesium, potassium, iron, and vitamin B-6, they are quite energy dense: in just one-quarter cup of walnuts there are about 190 calories. Not to mention in this recipe they come swimming in a glorious pool of maple syrup, at about 50 calories per tablespoon. So—Boo!—you’ll want to watch your portion size on this dish and file it firmly under “moderation.”
I won’t lie: practicing restraint is pretty difficult when this mouth-watering, maple-walnut treat is poured over ice cream (or waffles) or eaten directly out of the bowl with a spoon. It’s also great served with fresh fruit and plain yogurt.
Even so, I strongly encourage you to find your will-power and make this recipe for a special treat every so often.
Maple Wet Walnuts
Toast walnuts. Turn oven on to 425 degrees F and pour walnut halves (or chopped, whichever you prefer) on a cookie sheet. Place in oven immediately. As the oven heats up, the walnuts will toast in about 5-7 minutes. Check to make sure they do not burn. (Or toast using your preferred method–there are many ways to do it.) Cool completely.
Mix it up. Stir all ingredients together, taste, and adjust quantities to suit your palate. If you like, let the mixture sit for an hour or so to let flavors meld, stirring every now and again.
Also, try not to eat it all in one sitting. (It’s a challenge.)
Toasted walnuts. Pure maple syrup. A hint of vanilla. A burst of salt.
Sublime.
