Crystallised nuts

Pre-heat oven to 170C. Place nuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, put 150 grams of water and the sugar into a small saucepan. Place it over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil. When the temperature of the liquid reaches 135C, or the syrup is beginning to colour at the edge of the pan, add the pistachios and whisk until the syrup has completely crystallised and coated the nuts.

Pour the coated nuts onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and allow to cool. The nuts can be kept in an airtight container for up to six months.

Here the magic of crystallisation is used to create a sweet, nutty snack with a wonderful texture, which can be eaten by itself or used as a garnish for ice-cream sundaes and other puddings. You can also turn the nuts into a more savoury nibble simply by sprinkling with salt before serving. You could use other nuts as well, such as pecans, hazelnuts or macadamias.

Recipe from Heston Blumenthal at Home, by Heston Blumenthal, published by Bloomsbury, $65.