Yes that does describe my general sate of mind. However, this post is about delicious candied nuts. You know those nuts that have at the fair? The ones that you can smell from 10 booths away, immediately drawing you in but you pass up because you hate paying $7 for a little bag? Yea those. Well I needed stocking stuffers, and with no fairs around and being the poor recent college student I am (graduated 6 days ago I did) I decided to make my own. Here is the link for the recipe.
Bavarian Vanilla Almonds {Candied Nuts}
Yield: one pound candied nuts
Ingredients:
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract if you are using regular granulated sugar instead of vanilla sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 pound almonds or pecans
3/4 cup of vanilla sugar (if you do have vanilla sugar, simply substitute regular granulated sugar)
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons of Vanilla Fleur de Sel (if you do not have Vanilla Fleur de Sel simply substitute fine grain sea salt)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract if you are using regular granulated sugar instead of vanilla sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 pound almonds or pecans
3/4 cup of vanilla sugar (if you do have vanilla sugar, simply substitute regular granulated sugar)
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons of Vanilla Fleur de Sel (if you do not have Vanilla Fleur de Sel simply substitute fine grain sea salt)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine egg white, vanilla extract and water. Beat mixture until frothy. Stir in almonds and mix to coat.
3. Gently combine sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt and stir into almond mixture, thoroughly coating all nuts.
4. Evenly spread nuts onto prepared baking sheet and place into oven.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
6. When cool, pack in an airtight jar. They will keep at room temperature for about 2 weeks.
2. In a large bowl, combine egg white, vanilla extract and water. Beat mixture until frothy. Stir in almonds and mix to coat.
3. Gently combine sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt and stir into almond mixture, thoroughly coating all nuts.
4. Evenly spread nuts onto prepared baking sheet and place into oven.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
6. When cool, pack in an airtight jar. They will keep at room temperature for about 2 weeks.
I used a mix of walnuts and almonds, they each provide something different in regards to flavor
I decided I needed coffee at this point. Katz Coffee is a local roasting company that I worked for a couple years ago that makes a great product.
This is what happens to your fine grain salt (or anything) when you have lots of humidity. YAY!
Spending money on quality spices is a must. Seriously buy them, your food will be so much better.
Even though I'm TECHNICALLY supposed to be egg free, meh. I haven't noticed any improvements. So yea I used the egg whites. I would think so long as you used finely ground flax, chia, or a commercial egg replacer it would still work, you just don't want lumps.
I wanted to add a little spice, but the Ancho Chili really didn't add any. However, it did add a very nice depth of flavor to the nuts. It wasn't so much an identifiable flavor, but it was more complex if that makes any sense.
I did some with the Ancho, and some without. My mother agreed that the ones with the Ancho were better. Interestingly though the sugar on the nuts with the added chili powder was more granular.
Mmmm... My favorite beverage besides water.
The finished product!
These are completely addicting and you should make some. NOW! I also tried making kettle corn. Lets just say it was not a shining success... There will be a few more Christmas tinkerings coming soon!
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