Easy Candied Almonds Recipe - Savory Nothings (2024)

FAQs

How to make candied nuts not sticky? ›

Let them cool. After a final stir out of the oven, let the pecans cool until they're safe to touch. Gently tug apart any pecans that are stuck to each other, then let them cool completely. They'll continue to crisp up as they cool.

Combine sugar, water, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Add almonds; cook and stir mixture until liquid evaporates and leaves a syrupy coating on almonds. Pour almonds onto the prepared baking sheet; use two forks to separate clumps and spread into an even layer.

Jordan almonds, also known as sugared almonds, dragées or confetti are sugar-coated almond candies. Jordan almonds come in numerous colors, shapes and flavors. People include these sweet treats in their weddings to represent various meanings from the Italian and Greek cultures.

Let the candied nuts cool for at least 20 minutes or until completely cool. You don't want to package warm nuts or the moisture will cause condensation which will soften the candy coating.

Usually if the almonds are soft after candying it means that they weren't cooked for long enough.

If your sugared almonds are sticky rather than crunchy on the outside, it's likely because you didn't bake them for long enough. Next time, bake the almonds for an additional 5 minutes. Just don't be tempted to increase the oven temperature as that could result in burnt almonds!

Do you know why candied almonds are known as addormentasuocere (which basically translates to “make your mother-in-law fall asleep”) in some parts of Italy?

As a bonus, these candied almonds will make your house smell AMAZING while they bake! Long shelf life: up to 2 months in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer. Enjoy them by themselves, or add them to trail mix or salad (feel free to substitute them for the pecans in my brussels sprouts salad!).

Sugared almonds are offered in specific amounts, which has a specific meaning. For example, a lot of three almonds signifies the bride, groom and their future child. More common, perhaps, is the tradition of offering five almonds, each one with its own meaning: fertility, longevity, happiness, health and wealth.

The perfect wedding bomboniere, which is Italian for wedding favor, includes five Jordan almonds to represent five wishes for the bride and groom. These are health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and a long life.

What are Italian sugared almonds called? ›

If you have ever been a guest at an Italian wedding (or other celebratory event) you will have seen sugared almonds known as Confetti or Jordan Almonds.

"Italians traditionally package these candied almonds in bunches of five to represent wishes of health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity," she says. For some, the five almonds also symbolize a number that can't be divided into two, just like the bond formed by a newly married couple.

Nuts with higher fat content, like walnuts and pecans can also go rancid after a few months if stored at too warm a temperature. If you notice that your nuts have taken on a noticeably bitter, sour flavor, they may have entered this unfortunate phase.

Either you used raw nuts, or you added them before the sugar had a chance to fully caramelize. Why is the sugar all crystallized and grainy looking? It means that the sugar has crystallized before caramelizing.

Salt: 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt makes these taste salty-sweet. If you'd prefer to not taste the salt, reduce to 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Pecans too sticky: If your nuts are still sticky after cooling, heat your oven to 325° F and bake for 5 to 10 minutes to help harden the candy coating.

The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts. How do you fix candied nuts that are too soft and sticky? You can place them back into the oven for 5 to 15 minutes or until they dry out more. They will continue to firm and dry out as they cool.

Under-cooking the pecans is the likely cause of stickiness, but the risk is low when they're oven-baked. After the sugar-coated nuts have darkened and turned very fragrant, about 20 minutes in the oven, stir the pecans and separate any pieces that have stuck together. Continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Spread the stale snacks out on a cookie sheet and place in a 350o F oven. Let them bake for about 10 minutes and then remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cooled the snacks should be crispy and refreshed. You can use this method with fresh nuts like almonds, peanuts, walnuts, etc.

If your candied coating isn't hardening, the candying mixture did not reach a high enough temperature. Allow your candying mixture to cook until it bubbles, thickens, and turns a rich golden color, sort of like caramel. Then, quickly turn off the heat so it doesn't burn.