aglaia's birthday cheesecake
- two spoonfuls of butter (optional for butter taste)
- five tablespoons or so of granulated sugar (white sugar is good, brown is fine too but nothing too coarse so it melts evenly)
- three big handfuls (e.g. 250g) of almonds
- sprinkle of salt
- lay out a bit of baking paper, or else ready a smooth heatproof surface like a place.
- heat a skillet or any wide pan, a less sticky one is easier.
- melt the butter without burning it, turn the heat to medium-low if you're at risk.
- scatter sugar in the pan in an even layer
- don't interfere with the sugar; watch it slowly melt to a caramel, adjusting the position of the heat if one side is melting too quickly – it must melt evenly without burning. This should take about 3-4min.
- once the sugar into a scalding hot golden brown ooze, or at the first sight of any sugar smoking/burning, stir all the nuts and coat them well in caramel. The nuts will also help to cool down any burning sugar before it becomes a black gooey mess.
- add a generous sprinkle of salt into the mix if you like that sort of thing.
- after the nuts are well coated - 10 seconds should do it - tip them out onto your surface and spread them evenly with a spatula while the caramel is soft. it will be brittle soon.
- fill the (hot) pan with water so the caramel dissolves off cleanly. let the almonds cool before breaking them up.
- once cooled, store them in an airtight container. don't store them while their still warm or the condensation will make them sticky.