Candied nuts are on the menu right here, and for those who drop by our home (with sufficient of a heads up), you’re going to be greeted with a large hug from me, a chaotic whats up from a Cocker Spaniel, and a few iteration of the candied peanuts you see above. Since being again in San Francisco, I’ve been attempting to up my impromptu snack recreation a bit – for when individuals drop by. These candied nuts have change into one of many cornerstones. You may make them with no matter nuts you may have readily available, they maintain fantastically for over per week, and so they’re a straightforward win as half of a bigger snack-y unfold. Additionally they bridge the sweet-savory hole splendidly and I’ve been serving them with a variety of spreads, flatbread, and different bite-sized candy treats.
The Inspiration
I’ve had {a magazine} clip in my information for the higher a part of twenty years, Gourmand circa mid-2000s (fairly positive), for Rose-Water Candied Peanuts. Maggie Ruggiero is talked about within the headnotes citing them as “among the best tasting snacks she’d ever had.” They have been a bit completely different than different variations of candied nuts I’d come throughout. The sugar coating finally ends up being considerably uneven and craggy, and also you get little pebbles and scrabble of sugar caught to the nuts and all through. Beloved them. I used to be in, and began making riffs on her model over time based mostly on it. Almonds, pistachios, cashews, all truthful recreation. Though, I nonetheless choose to bake candied walnuts, and someday pecans.
How To Make Candied Nuts
Some footage to supply visible cues at numerous phases within the course of.
- Warmth the water with sugar: As soon as the sugar has dissolved and began simmering a bit, you’re going so as to add the peanuts and stir nicely. Medium warmth appears to work finest for me, the sugar combination thickens and the peanuts start to tackle some shade. Additionally, select a pleasant, thick pan to make use of right here.
- Toast the sugar and nuts: Maintain cooking and stirring. You’ll stir within the salt, and in some unspecified time in the future the combination will get dusty and dry in look. It’s okay. It should loosen up once more and the sugar will flip an exquisite caramel shade, and by then the nuts ought to be nicely toasted. At this level, take away from the warmth, and permit to chill for a minute or so. Stir within the rose water (or different accent, extract, water), rose petals, and/or extra spices at this level.
- Cool utterly: Enable the candied nuts to chill utterly earlier than transferring them to an hermetic storage container.
Video: Candied Nuts
Variations:
- Candied Nuts with Orange Blossom Water: Swap in orange blossom water for the rose water. I additionally wish to grate a little bit of orange zest onto the tops of those simply earlier than serving. The zest is moist, so you’ll want to add it late within the recreation, so every thing doesn’t get cheesy and sticky. You may’t retailer the candied nuts post-zest, but it surely’s fantastic for any nuts you’ll be consuming pronto.
- Candied Nuts with Fioro di Sicilia: With notes of vanilla and orange, swap in fiori di Sicilia for the rose water within the recipe. It’s splendidly aromatic, and brings a little bit of je ne sais quoi to no matter you add it to.
- Candied Complete Almonds: If I’m making candied nuts with almonds I typically think about using 1/2 teaspoon almond extract rather than the rose water referred to as for.
Candied Nuts: Different Methods to Use Them
These candied peanuts are extremely scrumptious on their very own, however they’re additionally the proper wildcard ingredient in all types of issues.
- In salads: Let’s say I exploit rose water within the candied nuts. Use a bit splash in no matter salad dressing or French dressing and you’ve got a beautiful, off beat salad. If I exploit orange blossom water, use that within the dressing, and many others. This works rather well with buttermilk based mostly dressings.
- In cookies: You simply know a model of peanut butter cookies spiked with these candied nuts is nice.
- In granola or path combine: as an accent ingredient or punctuation.
- In chocolate: Particularly in these chocolate power bites.
Extra Nut Recipes
Proceed studying Candied Nuts (with Rose Water) on 101 Cookbooks
