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Yum Yum Nut Sweets

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Yum Yum Nut SweetsJohnny Miller

I'm surprised and delighted by the number of sweets and desserts that I have been able to come up with sans flour and dairy. With this one I had help. Our good friend Dr. Nersessian—a very good cook—came up with the first version of this to give me a dessert without the bad things. I have fiddled with it a bit. It has been a great success with all who have tasted it. A chocolate version follows.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 16 Squares

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon safflower oil
1 cup whole roasted unsalted almonds
1 cup whole walnuts
1/3 cup sugar
2 egg whites

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 300°F. Grease a 7- or 8-inch square baking pan with the oil. Set aside. Place the nuts in a food processor and chop until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Put the contents into a small mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar and egg whites. With a spatula, scrape the contents of the bowl into the oiled pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 1 hour for soft cookies or 1 1/2 hours for crisp cookies. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool. Cut into 1 3/4- or 2-inch squares.

  2. Variation:

    Step 2

    Chocolate Yum Yums:

    Even though these are simply a chocolate version of the Yum Yums, everyone seems to think that they are brownies. Yum.
    Melt 2 1/2 ounces of 70% dark—not milk—chocolate in a double boiler. Add to the mixing bowl after the sugar and egg whites. Proceed as directed.

Excerpted from The Intolerant Gourmet: Glorious Food without Gluten & Lactose by Barbara Kafka (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2011. Photographs by Johnny Miller.
TagsBar CookieCookieDessertAmericanAlmondNutWalnutSnackDairy FreeGluten FreeVegetarianEasyMake Ahead5 Ingredients or FewerBakingFood ProcessorCookbooks

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