My granddaughter received some candied pecans as a Christmas gift from a relative. I ate some and they were delicious. I bought a large bag of fresh partly shelled pecans that I had been cracking and eating as a snack, but once I had a taste of the candied pecans, I had to make some for me.
I’ve made candied nuts before including pecans, cashews and walnuts. They are easy to make and just require a few ingredients. The only thing that will make you think twice is that they are toasted in the oven on low heat for about an hour.
I used a cup of white sugar, a half teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon of smoked paprika, and a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper. In a separate container, I mixed one egg white with a teaspoon of water. The egg white and water have to be whipped until it is frothy.
The pecans are mixed into the egg white mixture and then coated with the sugar and spice mixture. I also melted 2 teaspoons of butter that I spread on parchment paper that lined my cookie sheet.
The pecans were toasted at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour. I turned them over after about thirty minutes but I checked them every 15-20 minutes so that they wouldn’t burn.
They are delicious! They are crunchy, spicy and sweet. They also make a nice gift, even though these are for me.
Bon appétit!