Want to make candied nuts? Here’s the recipe to follow, in a simple and quick way you’ll get delicious crunchy nuts! The first time I tried it out of curiosity using leftover Christmas nuts. The result was fantastic and I haven’t stopped since.
If you like nuts, don’t forget to check out the recipe
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 327.38 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 85.96 (g) of which sugars 73.17 (g)
- Proteins 1.64 (g)
- Fat 0.44 (g) of which saturated 0.05 (g)of which unsaturated 0.11 (g)
- Fibers 5.55 (g)
- Sodium 13.88 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 4 people
- 10.58 oz mixed nuts
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
Tools
- 1 Saucepan 1 quart
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Pan 8-10 inches
Procedure
Nuts are usually bought with the shell, so it needs to be removed. You can use almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts, and pistachios. If you use nuts with skin, the crunchy layer will adhere better, the only exception being peanuts, which are virtually impossible to use with skin.
First, be careful not to damage the inner nut; for an optimal result, the nuts should be intact. Once the nuts are clean, prepare the caramel by putting sugar and water in a saucepan and bringing it to a boil over high heat.
When the caramel starts to crystallize, add the nuts and use a spoon to mix them well so that the caramel evenly coats each nut.
As soon as the caramel reaches a nice amber color, stir, remove from heat, and pour onto a sheet of parchment paper, making sure to separate the nuts from each other, or you’ll end up with a block of brittle!
Be careful not to touch the nuts with your hands; the caramel is boiling hot and can cause severe burns.
You can use both natural and roasted salted pistachios to create a sweet and salty snack.
You can recreate this effect with other types of nuts by adding a pinch of fine salt to the caramel.
If you want candied nuts with a rough shell, add a few tablespoons of granulated sugar while the nuts are cooling so that it doesn’t melt and coats the nuts, forming a layer of sugar crystals.
Candied nuts can be stored in a tin can with an airtight seal for a long time
Your candied nuts are ready!
Presentation Tips
Candied nuts are a great ingredient to enrich creams, semifreddos, or any recipes where you want to add a crunchy and toasted note. In the salted version, they can be served as a tasty snack during aperitifs.
Wine Pairing with Candied Nuts
Salted candied nuts can be served with prosecco or pinot. For sweet candied nuts, you can opt for moscato or a brut sparkling wine.
