Classic Candied Nuts Recipes

THE BEST CANDIED NUTS RECIPE

Steps:

• Line a Cookie Sheet with Wax or Parchment Paper and set-aside. Keep you oven-mitts handy too.
• Measure out your Nuts or Seeds in a Medium Bowl and set-aside.
• Place your pot on your stovetop over Medium heat. (I use this Cast Iron Dutch Oven - Cast Iron is wonderful for candy making & all types of cooking since it evenly distributes heat over the whole pan - even in the oven!)
• With a Silicone spatula, mix together the Sugar, Cinnamon, Salt & Water in your pot - stirring occasionally during the first 5 minutes. Between 5-10 minutes, your mixture should start to bubble & foam.
• Continue stirring regularly as the mixture continues to heat up for the next 10 minutes. Be sure to scrape the sides of the pot as you go.
• Be sure the mixture is truly at 238 degrees! If you add the nuts too early, or if the temp is not accurate, you will end up with a 'stringy' candy result (which can still be saved - see note section below). I sometimes hold the temp for an extra minute or so until I can see the mixture pull away from the bottom of the pan when I scrape it with a rubber spatula. It is crucial to any candy recipe that your candy thermometer is accurate - I test/calibrate mine regularly against boiling water which boils at 212 degrees F.
• Once you reach the Soft Ball temperature, then work quickly to add your Nuts or Seeds to the mixture - using your spatula to continuously combine everything together - coating each Nut evenly. The coating will go from a shiny, stringy glaze to a dull, sugary coating in less than a minute. The coolness of the Nuts/Seeds will begin to crystalize the candy quickly. There should be no wet glaze leftover - it should have all crystalized.
• Using your oven mitts to handle the pot, remove from heat & carefully dump out the candied nuts/seeds onto your prepared cookie sheet & set-aside to cool completely. Break apart any large pieces. I place my cookie sheet on a cooling rack to avoid any moisture during the cooling process.
• Once the candy is cooled, you can store it in an airtight container or package it up for gift giving.

CINNAMON SUGAR CANDIED NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together egg white and 1 tablespoon water until frothy, about 2 minutes; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine sugars and cinnamon; set aside. In a large bowl, combine almonds, pecans and egg white mixture until well combined. Stir in brown sugar mixture until evenly coated. Spread almond mixture onto prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Place into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring at halftime. Let cool completely before serving.

CANDIED NUTS

Steps:

• Grease a baking sheet or line with a silicone mat.
• Cook and stir peanuts, sugar, and water together in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat until liquid evaporates and nuts begin to crust with the hardening sugar; about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and continue to cook and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to coat peanuts with syrup as the sugar begins to melt and darken to a deep caramel color, about 10 minutes. Tilt pan away from the heat as needed to allow peanut mixture to darken without burning. Remove from heat immediately when peanuts are deeply bronzed; stir.
• Sprinkle peanuts with sea salt and cinnamon or chili powder; tilt peanuts onto prepared baking sheet to cool completely. Break up clumps. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

CANDIED NUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
• Blanch nuts in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and dry them off in a kitchen towel. Lightly toss them into the sugar mixture until coated. Remove nuts, and set aside the sugar spice mixture.
• Bring the oil in a deep fryer or a heavy-bottomed pan to 330 to 350 degrees-F (do not let the oil burn). *Hint: place 1 nut in the oil and when it starts to sizzle, add the rest of the nuts.
• Fry approximately 1 minute, the nuts will turn golden in color, and float. Remove from the oil and add directly to the sugar mixture and toss again. Carefully remove nuts and shake off excess sugar, let cool and serve.
• The recipes for this program, which were provided by contributors and guests who may not be professional chefs, have not been tested in the Food Network's kitchens. Therefore, the Food Network cannot attest to the accuracy of any of the recipes.

CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Mix sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl.
• Whisk egg white and water together in a separate bowl until frothy. Toss pecans in the egg white mixture. Mix sugar mixture into pecan mixture until pecans are evenly coated. Spread coated pecans onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, until pecans are evenly browned, 1 hour.