Maple-Spiced Nut Cluster Trail Mix with Tart Cherries & Dark Chocolate

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A trail mix worth making from scratch: raw nuts and seeds get tossed in a whipped egg-white and maple glaze, then slow-roasted at a low temperature so they set into shatteringly crisp, lightly caramelised clusters instead of loose, greasy nuts. Warm spices, rosemary and flaky salt keep it savoury enough to eat by the handful, and the tart cherries and chopped dark chocolate go in only after everything is stone cold so nothing melts or softens. Keeps crunchy for two weeks in a jar.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw whole almonds
• 1 cup raw pecan halves
• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp white sesame seeds

• 1 large egg white
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup dried tart cherries
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, lightly toasted
• 4 oz dark chocolate (70%), chopped into rough chunks
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C) with a rack in the center. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper — do not use foil, the glaze will weld to it.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg white vigorously for about 45 seconds, until it is loose, foamy and roughly doubled in volume. This is what turns the syrup into a crisp shell rather than a sticky coating.
3. Whisk in the maple syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, kosher salt, cinnamon, smoked paprika, ground ginger, cayenne, black pepper, rosemary and vanilla until smooth and evenly combined.
4. Add the almonds, pecans, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. Fold with a silicone spatula for a full minute, scraping the bottom, until every nut is slick and glossy and no dry patches remain.
5. Scrape the mixture onto the lined sheet and spread it into an even layer about 1/2 inch thick, pressing some of the nuts together into loose clumps — those clumps become the clusters.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove and stir with a sturdy spatula, folding the edges toward the middle and re-flattening. Return to the oven and bake 15 to 25 minutes more, stirring once more at the 12-minute mark, until the mix is deep golden brown, smells toasted, and the glaze no longer looks wet. It will still feel slightly tacky when hot.
7. Set the sheet on a wire rack and cool completely, 45 to 60 minutes, without stirring. As it cools the glaze hardens; the mix is ready when a cluster snaps cleanly instead of bending.
8. If your coconut flakes aren't already toasted, spread them on a small dry sheet pan and toast at 300°F for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once, until the edges are golden. Cool completely.
9. Break the cooled sheet into bite-size clusters with your hands. Transfer to a big bowl and toss with the dried cherries, toasted coconut, chopped dark chocolate and flaky sea salt. Make sure everything is fully at room temperature or the chocolate will smear.
10. Store in an airtight jar at cool room temperature for up to 2 weeks. If your kitchen runs warm, keep the chocolate separate and add it by the handful as you serve.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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