Toffee Walnuts - An Easy Candied Nuts Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Why are my candied walnuts soft? ›

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.

Remove the pan from the heat and spread the toasted walnuts evenly on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper to allow them to cool completely. Once they have cooled and hardened, transfer the walnuts to a sealed container and store them in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month.

They were not baked long enough or they were not baked at the correct heat temperature. Another reason could be that they they were not spread out properly in the tray to allow even baking. How to keep candied nuts from sticking? Toss the nuts with a spoon every 10-15 minutes during baking.

Store your candied pecans in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.

Soaking nuts

Simply place your nuts in a bowl, add 1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt and cover with warm or room temperature water. Leave to sit for 7 hours or overnight before draining (note: cashews shouldn't be soaked for more than 6 hours).

You'll notice that soaked walnuts do not have that astringent, mouth-puckering taste to them. This is because when soaking walnuts, the tannins are rinsed away, leaving behind a softer, more buttery nut. The soak water from nuts and seeds should always be discarded and never used as water in a recipe.

Walnuts go rancid when exposed to warm temperatures for long periods of time. Heat causes the fat in walnuts to change structure, which creates off odors and flavors. Fresh walnuts smell mildly nutty and taste sweet. If your walnuts smell like paint thinner, you know they're rancid.

However, Kanney says, “If a nut has spoiled or gone rancid, recognizable by a sour or bitter flavor, the nut is no longer good and should be thrown away.” Whelan agrees that once the nuts have turned this corner, there's no amount of sugar or butter or time spent in a hot oven that will save them.

Whole raw nuts can be stored in the freezer for up to one year. Chopped nuts, ground nuts, or nut flours — all of which contain more surface area for oxidation — are quicker to spoil and should only be stored for up to six months.

To get the spices to stick to the nuts, use egg whites, butter, coconut oil, olive oil or blanch the nuts in boiling water. Some recipes call for nuts to be fried in oil prior to seasoning, but this adds unnecessary fat – you can make them just a delicious without all the extra calories.

What is the best way to store candied nuts? ›

Storage Instructions: Candied nuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for several weeks. Freezing Instructions: They freeze well in an air-tight container for up to two months.

Pralines, Gebrannte Mandeln, Chou Chou, Garrapiñadas - no matter what you call them, caramelised nuts are a delicious treat enjoyed by people all over the world. Pralines originated in France, where they were originally made with almonds coated in sugar and spices.

Okay, all bad dad jokes aside, these candied walnuts will last quite a while. All nuts do go rancid eventually, but as long as you cool them completely and then store them in an air-tight container, they should be good for about a month.

If your pecans are soft, it's most likely because they weren't baked long enough and are still retaining moisture. The sugar needs to bake long enough to caramelize and form a brittle coating on the nuts.

Nuts that have a large surface area, like walnut halves, with their complex network of ridges and valleys, will go rancid faster because of a greater exposure to oxygen. And fattier nuts, like macadamia or Brazil nuts, will oxidize quicker than leaner almonds.

Heat a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Toast the nuts for five minutes, or until they begin to colour. At this point, you can stop and serve them as they are, or you can flavour them with a variety of toppings.

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

Because walnuts have such a soft kernel, cracking them is a very delicate process.

How it works: Arrange the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place in a moderate oven (about 325 degrees with convection or 350 degrees without), stirring halfway through, until fragrant and toasted inside and out. Then immediately transfer the nuts to a plate or bowl.