Candied Cashews

ingredients

• 2 cups raw cashews (1 1/8 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 dash cayenne, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
• About 3 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying

directions

Cover cashews with water in a 1.5- to 2 quarts saucepan and simmer until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Drain, then transfer to paper towels to dry, 45 minutes.

Stir together salt and cayenne.

Toss cashews with sugar in a bowl, then shake in a sieve to remove excess. Heat 1.5 inches oil in dried saucepan over moderate heat until it registers 375 degrees on thermometer. Fry cashews in 3 batches, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown and crisp, 3 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet as fried and sprinkle with some cayenne mixture. (Return oil to 375 degrees between batches.)