Makes 750g

Canapés don’t have to be complicated masterpieces to impress, especially if the focus is on the ingredients. There are plenty of shop-bought nut mixes available, but nothing compares to a freshly seasoned mixture of your own. Perfect with a glass of champagne.

750g mixture of whole, blanched, unsalted nuts, such as cashews, macadamias and whole blanched almonds

1-2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1½ tsp hot chilli powder
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp clear honey

1 Heat a large heavy-based frying pan or wok over a medium heat. Once the pan is hot, tip in your choice of nuts and the salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes, tossing the nuts around the pan constantly until they start to release their oils.

2 Drizzle in the oil and cook the nuts until lightly golden, stirring them constantly. Sprinkle over the chilli powder and cumin seeds. Cook for 1 minute more or until the spices smell aromatic.

3 Stir the honey into the nuts and toss well to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the honey starts to caramelise, then remove the pan from the heat. Tip the nuts on to a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, then pop the tray into a low oven. Leave the nuts to dry out for 20-30 minutes, making sure they don’t burn.

4 Remove the tray from the oven and leave to cool completely. Transfer the nuts to an airtight container and store in a cool dry place for up to 1 month.

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