These elegant nuts are a great accent to summer fruits. If you can find the longer, thinner pistachios from Sicily, use them for this recipe—or any time you’re eating pistachios. They have the best flavor.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 1/2 cups

　　9 ounces (250g) shelled unsalted pistachios

　　2 tablespoons (16g) confectioners’ sugar

　　3 tablespoons (45g) water

　　5 tablespoons (62g) granulated sugar

　　1/2 teaspoon (3.5g) light corn syrup

　　1/2 teaspoon (2g) coarse salt

　　

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°F or 325°F on convection.

　　

Step 2

Spread the pistachios out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the nuts are hot but not browned or toasted, about 7 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Dump the nuts into a bowl and toss with the confectioners’ sugar.

　　

Step 4

Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment.

　　

Step 5

Meanwhile, put the water, granulated sugar, and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook to 285°F. Add the nuts and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar turns white. Scrape out onto the Silpat. Working fast, use a couple of forks to separate the nuts while the sugar is still hot.

　　

Step 6

Let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

　　Reprinted with permission from Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Copyright © 2008 by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Johnny Iuzzini,, executive pastry chef of the world-renowned Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, won the award for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. This is his first book.Roy Finamore, a publishing veteran of more than thirty years, has worked with many bestselling cookbook authors. He is the author of three books: One Potato, Two Potato; Tasty, which won a James Beard Foundation award; and Fish Without a Doubt.__