Nut Truffles
(Makes 25)
Ingredients
2/3 cup Alison’s Pantry Walnuts
2/3 cup Alison’s Pantry Natural Almonds
2/3 cup Alison’s Pantry Hazelnuts
1½ cups dark chocolate drops
2 tbsp Alison’s Pantry Chia Seeds
3 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp honey
2/3 cup Alison’s Pantry Roast Unsalted Almonds, finely chopped
Serve
Ice cream cones
Method
- Grind all the nuts together in a food processor. Add chocolate and pulse to grind. Add remaining ingredients, except roast almonds, until combined and the mixture clumps together.
- Using damp hands, roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls. Roll nut truffle balls in chopped almonds, to coat. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- A fun way to serve these Nut truffles is to pop them into ice cream cones along with a mixture of Alison’s Pantry indulgent sweets to make individual servings.
Alison’s Pantry Milk Chocolate Almonds, Chocolate Salted Caramel Popcorn, Cranberry Nut Nougat and Chocolate Pretzels make a great combo with these Nut Truffles.
This recipe was created by Julie Le Clerc for Alison’s Pantry.
Top off a winter platter with this mouthwateringly delicious chutney. With our crunchy Walnuts and tart Dried Cranberries, this goes down a treat with a sharp cheddar.
Click here for the full recipe.
Now here’s a great way to use Alison’s Pantry Sesame Seeds.
This light and healthy Salmon Sashimi Soy and Orange Salad is awesome topped with a citrusy dressing and sprinkle of Sesame Seeds.
Herbed Mixed Nuts
(Makes 3 cups)
Ingredients
3 cups Alison’s Pantry Deluxe Natural Nuts
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped thyme
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
3 tbsp chopped parsley
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp sea salt flakes
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Spread nuts on a baking sheet and roast for 8-10 minutes until toasted light golden brown.
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the nuts, herbs, zest, salt and pepper and stir-fry for a couple of minute until nuts are coated with seasonings.
- Remove from pan to cool
Store in an airtight container. Serve as part of a platter or for snacking.
This recipe was created by Julie Le Clerc for Alison’s Pantry.
Chicken Salad with Nuts & Seeds 
(Serves 6)
You can change the combination of veggies to whatever you enjoy most but there are a few tips for assembling the mason jars that are worth following.
Ingredients
Salad:
4 chicken breasts
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
2 red and yellow peppers, thickly diced
4 sticks celery, sliced
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 cup Alison’s Pantry Cranberry Trio
¾ cup Alison’s Pantry Pumpkin Seeds
200g feta cheese, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 fancy green lettuce, leaves torn
Pistachio & Avocado Dressing:
2 avocados, flesh chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup parsley leaves
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup Alison’s Pantry Shelled Pistachios
¼ cup cold water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Poach chicken breasts by placing in a saucepan with onion and bay leaf. Cover with cold water and bring to a simmer. Simmer very gently for 10 minutes then remove to cool in the liquid. Chill and dice once cold.
- To make the dressing, place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
To assemble
- Start with the dressing at the bottom of the jar, dividing it evenly. Add hard veggies first, like peppers, celery and also olives.
Next add the chicken, Cranberry Trio, seeds and feta cheese. Softer veggies like tomatoes go next. Finish with delicate things like lettuce on top.
- Try not to overfill the jars, allow room for all ingredients to be coated with the dressing later. Cover jars with lids and refrigerate. Serve with a fork tied to the jars with twine or ribbon. Once ready to eat, shake the jar vigorously to dress salad.
This recipe was created by Julie Le Clerc for Alison’s Pantry.
Roast Nut Dip with Vegetable Sticks 
(Makes 1½ cups)
Ingredients
1½ cups Alison’s Pantry Roast Salted Nuts
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch chilli powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp boiling water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Carrot and celery sticks
Cherry tomatoes
Method
- Chop nuts in a small food processor. Add garlic, lemon juice, chilli, paprika and oil and process to combine.
- Add water and process to form a smooth, creamy paste (the water really helps the mixture amalgamate). Adjust seasoning to taste, (be careful with the salt as the nuts are already salted).
- Serve dollops of dip in the base of small glasses. Add vegetable sticks and cherry tomatoes.
Serve as nibbles as part of a tapas-style party.
This recipe was created by Julie Le Clerc for Alison’s Pantry.
Download PDF version here: alisons-pantry-roast-nut-dip-with-vegetable-sticks
Entertaining a Crowd
Set a theme
Pick a colour scheme and run with it. Even if nothing else is matching or well-decorated, a colour theme can pull everything together. Try choosing one or two colours for the food table, as this really helps set the theme.
Fun containers make all the difference
Fun fact: it feels 100% percent more fun to eat out of a pretty container than off a standard plate.
Use mason jars for salads or desserts, cupcake papers for individual servings of items like meatballs, other kitchenware items such as tin cans for presenting nuts or snacks; or small glasses for individual servings of dip and vegetable sticks (this saves double dipping!).
Celebrate with small plates
Forget the sit-down dinner or huddling around a single buffet table and opt for recipes that you can make ahead and serve in small plates. Tapas offerings include homemade dishes served in small plates, but they can also feature something as simple as a plate of nuts.
Tapas style
Call it tapas, antipasti, mezze or just plain old appetizers, a spread of small bites is the perfect way to eat and entertain throughout the summer. For one thing, you can make the dishes ahead of time. Even better, tapas are often served at room temperature, to be consumed at leisure. So relax, join your guests, and enjoy the Mediterranean charm of tapas.
Assembling a tapas platter
Consider assembling a platter of delectable ready-to-eat foods and mix this up with a couple of homemade recipes, such as Fig Chutney & Herbed nuts, this will save you time and still satisfy and impress guests.
Good things to include are:
- You can’t go wrong with roasted nuts – a few separate varieties, such as Alison’s Pantry Tamari Almonds or a mixture like Alison Pantry’s Roast Salted Supreme Nuts.
- Provide an assortment of cured meats, such as salami, prosciutto or ham, salami and chorizo.
- Olives and gherkins add a tasty contrast, and grapes add freshness
- Include a selection of cheeses. As with any cheese board, present a variety that range from soft to hard textures and from mild to strong flavours.
- Bread sticks or crackers, and sliced French bread are great bases for meat or cheese.
- Alison’s Pantry snacks such as Murukku or Honey & Dijon Snippets work really well as part of a platter too.
Chocolate Mousse Shots with Sticky Date Caramel 
(Makes 16 x 50ml shots)
Ingredients
Chocolate Mousse:
250g dark chocolate drops
2 eggs, at room temperature, separated
180ml cream, lightly whipped
¾ cup Alison’s Pantry Hazelnuts, roasted and finely ground
¼ cup cacao nibs, to serve
Sticky Date Caramel:
100g Alison’s Pantry Gourmet Dates, chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
- Place chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl. Microwave, uncovered, for 1 minute, stir and repeat 2-3 times or until fully melted. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
- Stir ½ cup hazelnuts (reserve ¼ cup for decoration) into the chocolate then add egg yolks and stir to combine.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk eggwhites in a bowl until stiff but not dry. Using a large metal spoon, fold half the eggwhites into the chocolate mixture then gently fold in remaining eggwhites. Fold in the whipped cream.
- Spoon mixture into 16 shot glasses, dividing evenly. Place on a tray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm.
- Place dates in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to simmer for 10 minutes, or until dates are soft and the liquid has reduced. Remove to cool. Add vanilla and puree in a blender until very smooth.
To serve, top with a dollop of sticky date caramel, sprinkle with cacao nibs and remaining roasted hazelnuts.
This recipe was created by Julie Le Clerc for Alison’s Pantry.
Fig & Apricot Macaroon Cookie Balls
(Makes 36)
Ingredients
300g Alison’s Pantry Shredded Coconut
100g Alison’s Pantry Figs, chopped
100g Alison’s Pantry Apricots, chopped
100g Alison’s Pantry Roast Unsalted Almonds, chopped
150g chocolate drops (we love Donovans Chocolate Milk Chocolate Drops)
400g can low-fat sweetened condensed milk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking paper. Whizz half the coconut in a food processor until finely ground.
- Place all the coconut in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Use damp hands to roll heaped tablespoons of the mixture into balls. Place onto prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until tips of coconut turn golden brown. Cool cookie balls on the baking sheets. Stored in an airtight container, cookies will last well for up to a week.
To serve pile Cookie Balls into pretty teacups
This recipe was created by Julie Le Clerc for Alison’s Pantry.
Summer Time Bread & Butter Puddings
(Makes 6)
Ingredients
10-12 thick slices stale multi-grain bread, crusts removed
50g butter, softened
100g white chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup Alison’s Pantry Apricots, chopped
1/3 cup Alison’s Pantry Ground Almonds
1 punnet strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 large eggs
Pinch salt
2 cups milk
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup Alison’s Pantry Sliced Natural Almonds
Icing sugar, to dust
Method
- Butter 6 individual 200ml capacity tin cans (or muffin tins, if preferred). Butter bread and cut in quarters.
- Layer bread in prepared tins, alternating with a sprinkling of chocolate, apricots, almonds and strawberry slices. Press down well. Make sure top layer of bread is attractively arranged.
- Preheat oven to 160°C. Beat eggs, salt, milk, sugar and vanilla together. Pour into tins, dividing evenly. Set aside for ½ hour so that bread completely absorbs liquid.
- Sprinkle puddings with sliced almonds. Bake for 30 minutes. Puddings will inflate slightly when cooked, deflating again once cold.
Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar and whipped cream on the side.
This recipe was created by Julie Le Clerc for Alison’s Pantry.
Raw Lemon Cheesecakes with Blueberry Chia Jam
(Makes 6)
Ingredients
Base:
½ cup Alison’s Pantry Shredded Coconut
½ cup Alison’s Pantry Natural Almonds
¼ cup Alison’s Pantry Sunflower Seeds
½ cup Alison’s Pantry Gourmet Dates, chopped
Pinch salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
Filling:
2½ cups Alison’s Pantry Natural Cashews (soaked in cold water overnight)
½ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
½ cup coconut oil, gently melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
Blueberry Chia Jam:
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 tbsp Alison’s Pantry Chia seeds
1 tbsp pure maple syrup or honey
To serve:
Fresh seasonal fruits, such as berries, cherries, grapes
½ cup Alison’s Pantry Blueberries
Method
- Place base ingredients into a food processor and blitz until mixture is well combined and sticky to the touch, adding 1 tbsp cold water if mixture is too dry. Divide mixture and press into the bases of 6 small jam jars or glasses.
- Drain cashews well and place in a high-speed blender or food processor with remaining filling ingredients. Blend for 3-5 minutes or until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender occasionally.
- Spoon filling evenly over the bases and smooth the surface of each. Chill well. The cheesecakes can be made a day in advance of eating.
- To make jam; puree all ingredients in a blender. If the mixture is quite thick then add 1-2 tablespoons of cold water at a time to loosen (allowing for the mixture to thicken further as the chia seeds swell). Store in the fridge.
To serve, top cheesecakes with a big dollop of Blueberry Chia Jam and decorate with fresh fruits and blueberries.
This recipe was created by Julie Le Clerc for Alison’s Pantry.
Spanish Meatballs with Almond Sauce 
(Makes 30)
Ingredients
Meat balls:
750g pork mince (or beef, lamb, chicken mince, if preferred)
2/3 cup Alison’s Pantry Ground Almonds
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 small egg, beaten
½ cup Alison’s Pantry Sliced Natural Almonds, toasted
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Almond sauce:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Large pinch saffron threads
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup white wine
2 cups liquid chicken stock
2/3 cup Alison’s Pantry Ground Almonds
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C. Place mince, almonds, garlic, onion and egg in a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper then, using clean hands, mix very well to combine.
- Take a tablespoonful of mixture and roll it into a ball, repeating until 30 balls are rolled. Place meatballs onto an oven pan lined with baking paper. Spray lightly with oil. Roast for 15-20 minutes until browned.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add saffron and paprika and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add wine and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until the wine has reduced by half. Add the stock, bring to a simmer then stir in the ground almonds to thicken the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Transfer meatballs to the pan and gently stir to coat in the hot sauce.
Serve scattered with sliced almonds and parsley.
This recipe was created by Julie Le Clerc for Alison’s Pantry.
Dried Fig Chutney 
(Makes 4 cups)
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
400g Alison’s Pantry Figs, chopped
150g Alison’s Pantry Select Dates, chopped
50g Alison’s Pantry Raisins
50g Alison’s Pantry Crystallised Ginger, finely sliced
1 tsp each salt and ground mixed spice
Pinch chilli powder
150g soft brown sugar
1½ cups apple cider vinegar
Method
- Heat oil in a saucepan, add the onion and gently cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring regularly, for 20 minutes or until mixture is thick and syrupy.
- Spoon into sterilised jars and seal well.
Serve with meats, cheeses, nuts, and other tapas-style items and part of a platter.
This recipe was created by Julie Le Clerc for Alison’s Pantry.