Sweet and Salty Candied Pecans
Try this Sweet and Salty Candied Pecans recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Sweet and Salty Candied Pecans recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (28g)
- Sodium 2326.36875501366 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring sugar and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan.
- Stir in pecans.
- Continue to boil and stir frequently with a wooden spoon until liquid boils out. This should take about 7 or 8 minutes. DON'T WALK AWAY.
- Line a baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.
- Once the liquid boils out, pour the pecans onto the foil in a single layer.
- Bake in preheated oven at 300° for 10 to 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. (Oven temperatures vary so keep an eye on them)
- Cool completely before serving.
- May be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Sugar Crystallization and Heat Control
Boiling sugar and water together creates a supersaturated solution that drives flavor development through Maillard reactions. Stirring constantly prevents localized hotspots that cause burning. Watch for the liquid to completely evaporate, which typically takes seven to eight minutes. Spreading the coated nuts onto foil prevents sticking before they enter a 300 degree oven. Baking for ten to twenty minutes toasts the lipids inside the nut meat while solidifying the outer crystal structure. Cool the batch completely to room temperature to achieve a crisp snap. Store finished nuts in an airtight container for up to five days.
Flavor Adjustments and Substitutions
Adjusting the primary taste profiles requires understanding how alternative ingredients behave under heat. Replacing standard granulated sugar with unrefined coconut sugar alters the caramelization point, yielding a deeper, more robust flavor profile. Sea salt provides sharp sodium contrast against the sweet coating, but kosher salt functions similarly if measured with volume adjustments in mind. Pecans possess a high oil content that burns quickly, so do not substitute lower-fat nuts without reducing the total bake time.
