Win a Le Creuset Roaster worth £130 in our next newsletter!  Click here for details

Brazil nuts

Brazil nuts
Key facts
As well as Brazil, this nut is native to the Guianas, Venezuela, Brazil, eastern Colombia, eastern Peru and eastern Bolivia; although high in saturated fat, Brazil nuts are possibly the richest dietary source of selenium, thought to protect against breast and prostate cancer; Brazil nut oil is also used as a lubricant in clocks, for making artists' paints, and in the cosmetics industry.

Now this really is the tough nut to crack – fine after dinner entertainment with friends (a prize for the perfect specimen) but if you need a quantity neatly shelled your time might be better spent finding a shop that has fresh-looking, shelled Brazils.

 

 
Related Recipes
Glazed Nut Topping 

Glazed Nut Topping

This is suitable for all cakes but is especially good on the Creole Christmas Cake, which is too rich to cope with marzipan or even sweet icing.

 
 
Four Nut Chocolate Brownies Makes 15 squares

Four Nut Chocolate Brownies

If you've never made brownies before, you first need to get into the brownie mode, and to do this stop thinking 'cakes'. Brownies are slightly crisp on the outside but soft, damp and squidgy within. I'm always getting letters from people who think th

 
 
Toffee-fudge Bananas with Toasted Nuts Serves 4

Toffee-fudge Bananas with Toasted Nuts

The world record for making this recipe is not five minutes, but just three – it's quite simply the fastest dessert recipe I've ever come across. It's also amazingly good, and if it is conceivable that anybody on this earth does not love delectably t

 
 
Last-Minute Sherry Mincemeat Cake Makes one 8 inch (20 cm) round cake

Last-Minute Sherry Mincemeat Cake

Forgotten to make your Christmas cake and only days to go? Don't despair - this superb fruit cake can be made on the same day that you eat it, so no one will guess you've not been super-organised!

 
 
Christmas Sherry Mincemeat Cake For the pre-soaking:

Christmas Sherry Mincemeat Cake

Hard though it is to believe, you could actually make this cake in the morning and serve it for afternoon tea on Christmas Day, so if you haven't been organised enough, this could be your answer!