Help making all natural nut clusters

[letmysoulshine]

My mom bought some all natural nut clusters that had a variety of nuts and fruits in them and were held together by clear syrup/sugar mixture. I am trying to determine what in the ingredients is that "paste" to bind these all together.

The ingredients are: cashews, almonds, pistachios dried cranberries, dried blueberries, natural flavor, sesame seeds, rice malt, and evaporated cane extract.

I am guessing the paste is the rice malt or evaporated cane extract but I know nothing about either. Does anyone know what these two ingredients are? Can they be purchased in the store? Is there something I could use as a substitute?

Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Wyogal]

It's like making brittle, but way more nuts.

 

[DMerry]

You could probably find rice malt and evaporated cane product in a health food store. They may even be able to help you with a recipe for the nut clusters.

 

[Wyogal]

This recipe uses egg white and honey as "glue."
Spiced Nut Clusters Recipe - Prevention.com

 

[letmysoulshine]

Thank you all for your response! Yes, the nut clusters seemed much like peanut brittle. They were hard little clusters, just with nuts and berries. I will check the stores for the rice malt and cane juice. If that doesn't work, I will try the egg white and honey.

Thanks again!

 

[letmysoulshine]

One more question...

Will the rice malt or evaporated cane juice dry hard or will it stay sticky like honey? Do I need to do something to it for it to get hard like peanut brittle does?

 

[Wyogal]

That was going to be my next question... you might try an actual recipe so that you know the method by which you will cook this. You will need more than just the ingredients from a manufactured food, you need the method. It usually requires heating of the sugar to make it hard, candy-like. You will need specific temperatures and cooking times for specific sugars.