Frosted Vanilla Almonds

Happy Giveaway Day!  Today I’m reviewing a fantastic cookbook called Pure Vanilla: Irresistible Recipes and Essential Techniques, written by Shauna Sever and published by Quirk Books.  As soon as I cracked open this book I fell in love -- I love when cookbooks pick a specific topic and really drive it home with tips, tricks, history and pretty much all the into you could ever need on that particular subject.  That’s what Shauna does in this book -- she takes a basic ingredient {vanilla} and shows us how truly spectacular it really is!  She starts out  by giving a history of vanilla, explaining where and how it was first grown and harvested and how it ended up being the worlds most favorite flavor.  Shauna then dives into the recipes broken down into Breakfasts, Cakes and Pies, Cookies and Bars, Candies and Confections, Custards and Creams and Drinks.  Some of my favorite recipes are the Vanilla Bean Dutch Baby, the Cherry Vanilla Shortbread Cake Squares and the recipe I’ve made for you for today: Frosted Vanilla Almonds.

I whipped these babies up to crunch on before Thanksgiving dinner and they were a huge hit!  I loved packing them into mason jars and spreading them around the room for people to snack on.  They are perfectly sweet and they make your house smell amazing -- like a NYC peanut cart.  Mmmmm!  Plus they are easy and oh-so quick to make!  Stress-free and impressive to boot!  

So for todays’ giveaway -- all you have to do is comment on this post before Sunday, December 9th at 11:59pm Eastern Time and you will be entered to win the Pure Vanilla Cookbook along with a bottle each of Pure Madagascar Vanilla Extract and Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste.  A winner will be chosen at random and announced on the blog on Monday, December 10th!

Frosted Vanilla Almonds (makes 3 1/2 cups)

Pure Vanilla - Shauna Sever

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

2/3 c. granulated sugar

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

3 c. raw almonds

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract and salt until well blended and foamy.  Fold in almonds until coated.  Pour onto prepared baking sheet and smooth into an even layer.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then stir well (being sure to pat the almonds into an even layer), rotate baking sheet 180 degrees, and bake until crisp and just beginning to turn golden, about 20 minutes more.  
4. Transfer the almonds with the parchment or silicone mat to a wire rack to cool.  Serve warm or let cool completely and store in an airtight container.