Our chocolate chili rub has been a longtime favorite for regulars, bringing a little sweet heat to a whole variety of dishes. It has cocoa, red pepper, garlic, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds for a sweet and salty kick with a rich chocolate flavor. The winter months are the perfect time to turn on the oven and enjoy a warming snack made with this rub, so we’re sharing some spiced nut recipes we think you’ll fall in love with immediately. Looking for something new for dinner, try this recipe for pulled chocolate chicken chili!
These are an addictively delicious snack and I agree wholeheartedly with Christina, don't make the mistake of reserving these only for the holidays! They make the perfect pocket snack for a day on the slopes. In fact, my first batch was devoured within seconds by a mob of hungry sledders this past weekend. I made two batches, one with pecans (and I threw in cacao nibs, too) and another with hazelnuts. They were both delicious! My only suggestion is to use nuts that are similar in size for more consistent cooking/candying.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb (approx 4 cups) of your favorite nut/nut mix1 Egg white
1 Tbsp water
1/3 Cup maple syrup
1/3 Cup brown sugar
2 Heaping tbsps GDC chocolate chili rub
1/4 cup cocoa nibs (optional)
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Add egg white and water to large bowl and whisk until foamy (but not stiff peaks). Add nuts and stir until coated. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until coated. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Spread nuts on baking sheet in a single layer with as much room as possible between them to avoid large clumps. Bake for 30 mins. If you are adding cacao nibs, remove the baking sheet at 15 mins, sprinkle 1/4 cup nibs evenly over nuts, stir gently and continue cooking. Let cool completely then break apart as they may stick together during cooling. Store in airtight container.
