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 massive hug from me, a chaotic howdy 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 sport a bit – for when folks drop by. These candied nuts have turn out to be one of many cornerstones. You can also make them with no matter nuts you might have readily available, they maintain fantastically for over every week, they usually’re a simple win as half of a bigger snack-y unfold. In addition they bridge the sweet-savory hole splendidly and I’ve been serving them with a spread of spreads, flatbread, and different bite-sized candy treats.
The Inspiration
I’ve had {a magazine} clip in my recordsdata for the higher a part of twenty years, Connoisseur circa mid-2000s (fairly positive), for Rose-Water Candied Peanuts. Maggie Ruggiero is talked about within the headnotes citing them as “probably the greatest tasting snacks she’d ever had.” They had 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. Cherished them. I used to be in, and began making riffs on her model over time based mostly on it. Almonds, pistachios, cashews, all truthful sport. Though, I nonetheless choose to bake candied walnuts, and someday pecans.
How To Make Candied Nuts
Some photos to supply visible cues at numerous levels 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 greatest for me, the sugar combination thickens and the peanuts start to tackle some coloration. Additionally, select a pleasant, thick pan to make use of right here.
- Toast the sugar and nuts: Preserve 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’ll loosen up once more and the sugar will flip an attractive caramel coloration, 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 fully: Enable the candied nuts to chill fully 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 make sure to add it late within the sport, so the whole lot doesn’t get cheesy and sticky. You possibly can’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 known as for.
Candied Nuts: Different Methods to Use Them
These candied peanuts are extremely scrumptious on their very own, however they’re additionally the right wildcard ingredient in all types of issues.
- In salads: Let’s say I take advantage of rose water within the candied nuts. Use a little bit splash in no matter salad dressing or French dressing and you’ve got an exquisite, off beat salad. If I take advantage of orange blossom water, use that within the dressing, and many others. This works very 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 vitality bites.
Extra Nut Recipes
Proceed studying Candied Nuts (with Rose Water) on 101 Cookbooks
