Won Ton Coconut Cashew Nuggets
I enter recipe contests because I enjoy learning about companies, trying out their products, and researching and brainstorming creative recipes! Developing recipes energizes me, and in the end my family, friends, and neighbors feast on a yummy sweet and savory dishes! My recipe today is one of my favorite merry-recipes ever; definitely a recipe that will become a holiday tradition, Won Ton Coconut Cashew Nuggets! I hope that in 20 years, my grandchildren will be frying up Twin Dragon Won Tons and melting vanilla chips while recalling how Gramma was an adventurous cook who loved to teach them how fun making up your own recipes can be!
When I read about JSL Foods The Twin Dragon Asian Wrapper Recipe Challenge I knew I had to sign up. Crispy Won Tons have always had a reserved spot on my palate. For years, I have made egg rolls, my children loved them, plus I found egg roll filling could hide a plethora of vegetables. Ha! I have made and eaten plenty of Won Ton appetizers in my days but had never even thought about a Won Ton sweet appetizer! But then….ENTER the TWIN DRAGON!!!
When I read about JSL Foods The Twin Dragon Asian Wrapper Recipe Challenge I knew I had to sign up. Crispy Won Tons have always had a reserved spot on my palate. For years, I have made egg rolls, my children loved them, plus I found egg roll filling could hide a plethora of vegetables. Ha! I have made and eaten plenty of Won Ton appetizers in my days but had never even thought about a Won Ton sweet appetizer! But then….ENTER the TWIN DRAGON!!!
Jump to this week, when I was brainstorming delicious bites made with crispy Twin Dragon Won Tons Wrappers, I recalled that the flavor of the vanilla peanut pie crust cluster changed my mind about the appearance. In cooking contests, you must change a recipe to call it your own. My recipe today is definitely inspired by a million dollar winning recipe but I have replaced the pie crust with crispy won tons strips. The Won Tons strips make the clusters lighter and add crunch. Hubby loves cashews so that was my nut of choice. I omitted the shortening in the million dollar cluster because I do not stock my pantry with it; I am a butter and coconut oil girl. The addition of coconut oil gives such a pleasant flavor. I wanted to spruce up the appearance so sprinkling toasted coconut on top did the trick. The flavor of the toasted coconut really added to the overall yumminess too. The neighbors and hubby gave a raving review, and I did too.
The crazy thing about contest cooks is that even though we love what we create the first time we wonder if it can be improved! So of course I had to play and make a different batch with a twist! I try melting marshmallows into the vanilla chips and add toffee. Once again, the Won Ton nuggets were excellent! Hubby devoured them! The new version did not call my name! So it was time for my third batch. BINGO! I had that magical memory of deliciousness when I bit into my first batch. AND if you know Hubby, brace your-self, as he munched on my 3rd batch he declared, “This is my new favorite treat!” You have to understand, Hubby doesn’t compliment much and he definitely has his classic treats that he does not want to change.
What a rewarding time I have had during the Twin Dragon Asian Wrapper Recipe Challenge, thanks to JSL Foods! Won Ton Coconut Cashew Nuggets will forever be a million dollar winner in my family’s life!
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FOR OTHER BLOGGERS TWIN DRAGON ASIAN WRAPPERS RECIPES:
RECIPE TIPS:
Make sure to toast your coconut before you start the recipe. As soon as the melted vanilla chips and crispy won tons are combined into clusters they begin to harden. The toasted coconut needs to be sprinkled on immediately in order to stick!
Allergic to peanut butter? Cashew butter or almond butter can be exchanged for the peanut butter.
Of course, you can use a different nut in place of the cashews. Make sure to toast them for extra yumminess!
Do you prefer to melt vanilla chips in your microwave? Go ahead! I just so happen to have move success in a double boiler.
If you prefer larger nuggets use a 1/2-cup ice cream scoop and standard cupcake liners to make 17 extra large nuggets (Haystacks).
Frying Won Tons
If you don’t have a candy or frying thermometer, simply test for oil heat by dropping one strip into the hot oil. If it starts to bubble right away, the oil is plenty hot. If you find the strips are browning too fast or starting to burn, turn the heat down. The heat knob setting on my range is a smidgen over medium heat.
After you remove the first batch of crispy Won Ton strips wait about 20 seconds for the oil to come back up to 360°F before proceeding.
I highly suggest using a spider strainer, more so than a slotted spoon. A spider strainer has a wide area to scoop up large amounts of crisps. Spider strainers are definitely worth the investment.
Transfer the crispy wontons to a wire rack that is placed on top of paper towels or half sheet. If you do transfer crisps to paper towels first make sure not to let them sit there for more than a 10 seconds or so.
I found that Twin Dragon Asian Won Ton strips easily separate in the hot oil. I was so thankful for this!
Remove the strips before they actually look toasty brown because fried wonton strips will continue to cook and darken.
Fried Won Ton strips should stay crispy in an airtight container for at least several days. The Won Ton strips stay crispy in the Won Tons Coconut Cashew Nuggets! #OhYum!
SHAPING NUGGETS:
Use an (1 1/2 tablespoon) medium cookie dough scoop with hand press release to shape the Nuggets into round mounds!
WON TON COCONUT NUGGETS
Yields: 36 mini nuggets or 17 large Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1/2 package (26 wrappers) Twin Dragon Asian Won Tons Wrappers
3 cups canola oil
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
24 ounces (4 cups) white baking chips
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 cup chopped salted cashews
Instructions:
HEAT about an inch of canola oil, in a high walled skillet or Dutch Oven, until it reaches 355°- 360°F. Place 1 pile of wonton strips into hot oil, and separate with a slotted spoon or spider strainer. As the Won Tons turn golden, flip over until golden on both sides. Remove the Won Tons strips to a cooling rack. Continue to fry the remaining 4 piles of Won Tons strips in batches. Transfer crispy Won Tons to a large sheet of wax paper, for easy clean up; set aside.
SPREAD coconut, in a large skillet, over medium heat, and cook, stirring frequently until golden brown; set aside.
POUR an inch of water into a large pot and place a bowl or medium sauce pan on top to make a double boiler (or use a double boiler). Turn the heat to medium-high to heat water, but do not boil, then keep water at a simmer. Add the 2 cups vanilla chips to the bowl, and stir frequently. When vanilla chips begin to turn shiny, add the remaining vanilla chips and peanut butter and stir constantly until melted. Once melted, immediately pour over crispy Won Ton strips and cashews, and gently fold.
SCOOP 1 1/2-tablespoons Won Tons mixture, with a medium cookie scoop, and place into mini cupcake liners. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Chill in refrigerator twenty minutes before serving.
Store in an airtight container. Won Ton Coconut Cashew Nuggets can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.
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