Your kitchen will scent like heat sugar and spice, and also you received’t be capable to assist however sneak a style straight off the baking sheet. Candied nuts are the sort of recipe that makes your complete home scent unbelievable. Bake them up for snacking, sprinkling over salads, or package deal them as do-it-yourself vacation items. It’s crunchy, candy perfection.
Why My Recipe
- Contains 3 foolproof choices for making candied nuts: basic, praline, and spiced variations.
- Options artistic taste concepts from maple chai to bourbon cayenne, plus world spice blends.
- Covers the whole lot you want from nut choice and troubleshooting to present packaging and storage.
This information walks you thru each technique to make candied nuts, from the basic sugar-coated bake to a shiny stovetop caramelized model. Spiced blends that convey somewhat additional aptitude. You’ll additionally discover skilled ideas for excellent texture, how one can retailer or freeze them, plus artistic packaging and taste variations that make them holiday-gift-ready. When you study the fundamentals, you’ll be making all of them 12 months lengthy.
Candied nuts have been round for hundreds of years, with variations discovered all around the world. In Germany, gebrannte Mandeln (actually “burnt almonds”) are a vacation market staple. You’ll discover honey-glazed pecans within the American South, and French praline almonds coated in caramelized sugar bought by avenue distributors throughout Europe. They’re at all times irresistible.
Ingredient Notes
- Nuts: Use uncooked, unsalted nuts for the very best outcomes. Roasted nuts can overcook or flip bitter as soon as coated in sugar and baked or caramelized.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar offers a lightweight, crunchy coating, whereas brown sugar provides heat and a touch of molasses. You need to use one or combine the 2 for stability.
- Spices: Cinnamon is basic, however nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, or cayenne can all be added for additional taste. Use about 1 teaspoon complete spices per pound of nuts.
- Egg White: This helps the sugar combination cling to the nuts within the oven-baked model. Whip till frothy (not stiff) earlier than tossing within the nuts.
- Salt: Only a pinch makes all of the distinction. Salt sharpens sweetness and retains the flavour balanced.
- Vanilla Extract: Provides depth and richness. You possibly can swap it for maple extract or almond extract for a delicate twist.
- Bourbon or Maple Syrup (Non-obligatory): Stir in 1 tablespoon for a extra advanced taste. The alcohol cooks off, forsaking a heat caramel be aware.
Finest Nuts to Use
Pecans and walnuts are high decisions for me as a result of their ridged surfaces catch and maintain onto the sugar coating, supplying you with that impossible to resist crunch in each chew.
Almonds are a detailed second. They’re additional crisp and durable, making them excellent for gifting.
Cashews and peanuts work, too, however they cook dinner somewhat sooner and might burn if left unattended.
In the event you’re mixing nuts, select varieties with related sizes and densities so that they cook dinner evenly. You may as well sweet only one sort for a extra polished presentation in jars or present tins.
No matter you utilize, be certain that the nuts are fully dry earlier than you coat them. Moisture prevents the sugar from sticking correctly.
3 Core Variations
There are three important methods to make candied nuts, and every has its personal distinct texture and taste.
The basic egg white and sugar bake is the one most individuals know. It creates a crisp, crunchy shell that feels mild and ethereal. The sugar varieties a fragile little crust that cracks completely if you chew into it. These are the nuts you’ll discover in paper cones at vacation markets. They make your kitchen scent like cinnamon and caramel.
The stovetop caramel or glazed technique offers you shiny praline-style nuts with a deep, toffee-like taste. These are excellent for including to salads, topping desserts, or giving as a fancier-style present.
The spiced model is all about taste. It makes use of a mixture of brown and white sugar with heat spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and even a touch of cayenne or black pepper. The coating is barely thicker and crunchier, and the flavour builds because the nuts cool. This technique offers you that candy warmth stability that’s each snackable and somewhat sudden.
Taste Variations
When you’ve mastered the bottom technique, you’ll be able to have enjoyable with taste. Begin by switching up the spices extracts. Small changes make an enormous distinction.
For a Maple Cinnamon model, substitute half the granulated sugar with brown sugar and add 1 teaspoon of maple extract. You may as well drizzle in 1 tablespoon of actual maple syrup simply earlier than baking or tossing to glaze.
To make Bourbon Brown Sugar Nuts, stir 1 tablespoon of bourbon into your sugar coating proper earlier than you add the nuts. It burns off as they bake, leaving a deep caramel taste that’s superb with pecans.
In order for you one thing Candy and Spicy, combine 3/4 cup brown sugar with ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, and a pinch of smoked paprika. The result’s daring however balanced.
For Vanilla Chai, whisk in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract with 1/2 teaspoon chai spice mix. The aroma alone will make you wish to double the batch.
And for those who like a contact of the unique, attempt a Quatre Épices mix (1/4 teaspoon every of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger) with almonds. It offers a aromatic, European twist that feels fancy.
Troubleshooting and FAQ
They possible didn’t cook dinner lengthy sufficient. Return them to a 250°F oven for 10 to fifteen minutes to assist them dry out and crisp again up.
Nuts that style bitter or burnt had been cooked at too excessive a temperature. Preserve the warmth reasonable, and at all times stir or toss midway by way of baking to forestall scorching spots.
When the coating falls off, it’s normally as a result of the nuts had been damp or the sugar combination didn’t cling properly. Be sure that the nuts are dry earlier than coating and that your egg white or sugar syrup is thick sufficient to carry.
If the sugar crystallizes too rapidly on the stovetop, don’t panic. Simply hold cooking and stirring. The warmth will ultimately remelt the sugar and kind that shiny end.
You possibly can, however scale back the baking time barely since they’re already cooked.
As much as two weeks at room temperature or a couple of month within the fridge
Sure. They freeze superbly for as much as three months. Allow them to thaw uncovered to keep away from condensation making them sticky.
Gifting Concepts
Candied nuts make considerate, do-it-yourself items that look as lovely as they style. Small mason jars, glass swing-top jars, or ornamental tins work completely. Line the within with wax paper to assist forestall sticking. Tie a ribbon or a chunk of twine across the lid and connect a small tag with the flavour title or a brief greeting.
For the normal pointy plastic bag, you’ll be able to simply use clear pastry luggage such as you’d use to pipe frosting. In the event you’re making a number of varieties, pack a mixture in clear cellophane luggage and layer the colours and textures for a fairly presentation. Add a sprig of rosemary or cinnamon stick beneath the ribbon for a elaborate contact.
These additionally make nice additions to cheese boards, cookie packing containers, or hostess items. Pair a jar of candied nuts with do-it-yourself chocolate bark or spiced scorching cocoa combine for an entire vacation deal with bundle.
Storage & Freezing
To Retailer: As soon as fully cooled, retailer candied nuts in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as two weeks. In the event you reside in a damp local weather, refrigeration will assist them keep crisp for as much as a month.
To Freeze: Unfold the nuts out on a baking sheet and freeze till strong, then switch them to a freezer-safe container or resealable bag. They’ll hold for as much as three months with out dropping texture. Thaw them at room temperature earlier than consuming, and in the event that they’ve softened barely, you’ll be able to refresh them within the oven at 250°F for about 5 minutes to convey the crunch again.
