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Brazil nuts


jmacnaughtan

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Apologies if there's already a thread here, but I couldn't find it.

 

I have recently been enjoying Brazil nuts.  They seem to get no respect whatsoever, but are clearly the King of Nuts:

 

- They only seem to come out at Christmas

- They always rise to the top of the bowl 

- They are big and brutish.

 

More importantly, they are the only nut big enough to be satisfying when you eat just one of them.  Anything else must be shoveled mouthwards.

 

Anyway, I'm having trouble roasting/toasting them effectively - for some reason, the inside browns before the outside and I don't know why.  This generally leads me to overdo them, which is terrible given their price tag.  Any recommendations?

 

Also, I'm looking for things to do other than just eat them.  I picked up a half-kilo bag of pretty beefy ones, and I've got around two thirds left.

 

All suggestions are welcome :D

 

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I've always loved them too.  Used to crack them at my aunt's house around the holidays. Now I just buy them shelled. 

Here is a cake recipe that's pretty good. I never layered it with the dulce, just used it as a single layer. The creme de cocao and coconut were added to the original recipe, or kind of a combination of two recipes. It's been awhile since I made it. 

 

 

BRAZIL NUT TURRON

INGREDIENTS

X1

X2

X3

 

 

 

 

WHOLE EGGS

4 EA

 

 

UNSALTED BUTTER, MELTED

3/4 CUP

 

 

SUGAR

2 CUPS

 

 

CAKE FLOUR

1 CUP

 

 

BAKING POWDER

1 TSP

 

 

BRAZIL NUTS, FINELY CHOPPED

2 CUPS

 

 

CREME DE COCAO

1 TSP

 

 

VANILLA

1/2 TSP

 

 

SHREDDED COCONUT

1/2 CUP

 

 

DULCE DE LECHE, FOR SERVING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OVEN 350F.  BEAT EGGS AND SUGAR ON MEDIUM SPEED UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY.  ADD MELTED BUTTER.  ADD FLOUR AND BAKING POWDER AND BEAT ON LOW SPEED.  ADD BRAZIL NUTS, FOLDING IN BY HAND.  POUR INTO TWO GREASED AND LINE 8-INCH PANS.  BAKE 25 MINS.  COOL.  LAYER TOGETHER WITH DULCE DE LECHE.  

 

 

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I buy my Brazil nuts from nuts.com.  They are excellent.  I get them pre roasted.  The Brazil nuts I purchase are actually from Bolivia but the nuts.com cashews I buy are from Brazil.  That Brazil nuts rise to the top of the bowl is simple physics.  Makes them easier to eat.

 

Hint:  Brazil nut pieces are just as tasty but are a fraction of the cost.

 

If you have excess Brazil nuts, NY Times pork satay is a good way to use them up.

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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16 minutes ago, RWood said:

I've always loved them too.  Used to crack them at my aunt's house around the holidays. Now I just buy them shelled. 

Here is a cake recipe that's pretty good. I never layered it with the dulce, just used it as a single layer. The creme de cocao and coconut were added to the original recipe, or kind of a combination of two recipes. It's been awhile since I made it. 

 

This looks pretty good - I shall give it a go.  From the ratios, it looks like it'll be a bit similar to a brownie in texture.  Am I right in this?

 

13 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Hint:  Brazil nut pieces are just as tasty but are a fraction of the cost.

 

If you have excess Brazil nuts, NY Times pork satay is a good way to use them up.

 

Good to know on both counts, although I've only ever seen them whole.

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10 hours ago, jmacnaughtan said:

 

This looks pretty good - I shall give it a go.  From the ratios, it looks like it'll be a bit similar to a brownie in texture.  Am I right in this?

 

It's been awhile since I made it, it's probably similar. I remember it's slightly dense, chunky from all the nuts and coconut. 

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Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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