Cinnamon Glazed Almonds

Sometimes the things that Disney has recipes for absolutely stuns me.  For example, I knew when I asked for The Grey Stuff at Be Our Guest, I'd be told that it wasn't available (and it isn't...  They gave me enough hints that I could copy it, but no exact recipe).  But when I was given a recipe for the famous glazed almonds instead, honestly, I was completely shocked.  I didn't realize that they were made on property and not bought in, but secondly, I didn't know it was something that you could even make at home.

Of course, now having seen the recipe and made it myself, I feel really dumb for assuming that this was some complicated recipe or drawn out process.  It's actually stupidly easy and I had all the ingredients on-hand, save for the almonds.

Cinnamon glazed almonds have been at Disney for as long as I can remember...  I've always gotten these at the nut cart in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom and at a little cart tucked away between France and Morocco in the World Showcase at EPCOT.  I find them occasionally at fairs and festivals here in New Hampshire pretty regularly, but honestly I think they taste way better at Disney.  These will have a special place in my heart because, on my last trip, we were on our last trip to the park before the dreaded Magical Express...  We still had most of our snack credits left, so on impulse, we bought like 5 bags after finishing our last ride of the trip (Pirates of the Caribbean...  Sigh).  They were also the only food I brought back home so that I'd have a memory of Disney at home.  The memory didn't last long...  I ate the whole bag while unpacking the next day.  So sad!

The big key to this recipe is to make sure that the egg whites and sugar are beaten very, very well.  While the mixture will be close to stiff peaks, it'll be more like the consistency of Cool Whip.  As far as cooking goes, the more spread out the mixture, the better it will cook.  The first two, maybe even three times I checked this, I was certain I'd ruined it.  But by the time I came back for the 4th check, they looked just like what I see around Magic Kingdom and EPCOT's snack wagons.  They are amazing fresh out of the oven, but just as good at room temperature.

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Cinnamon Glazed Almonds

As is served at snack carts in Adventureland, Magic Kingdom, and World Showcase, EPCOT

 

°o°  1/3 cup butter
°o°  2 egg whites

°o°  Up to 2 teaspoons salt

°o°  1 cup granulated white sugar
°o°  4 teaspoons cinnamon

°o°  16 ounces whole almonds

Preheat oven to 325.  Melt butter in oven-safe bowl or cup, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat egg whites with an electric mixer with salt until frothy.  Gradually add sugar and beat vigorously until the mixture is thickened and stiff peaks form.  Add cinnamon and beat until fully blended.  Fold in almonds.  Pour in butter and stir.

Gently pour mixture onto foil-lined cookie sheet and spread the mixture to a single layer of nuts.  Bake for 10 minutes, stir, and return to oven for another 10 minutes.  Repeat 4-5 times, for a total cooking time of 40-50 minutes, or until mixture has glazed onto almonds and almonds are crisp.  Mixture will froth and foam during the early stages of baking, but will bake onto the nuts towards the end of the baking time.     

Serve warm or at room temperature

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