A recipe that I wanted to make called for some candied walnuts which sounded really good. I have candied pecans in the past and I was looking forward to candying a new type of nut. A quick search brought me to this recipe for candied walnuts on Simply Recipes that candied the walnuts in nothing less than a simple caramel! You pretty much just melt some sugar, let it caramelize, mix in the nuts, pour them onto a baking sheet and let them cool. After that it is just a matter of breaking them apart and then its time to start enjoying them. Candied nuts have many uses from simply snacking on them to using them as ingredients in other recipes and they go well in sweets like ice cream and even in salads.
These candied walnuts are so good! They remind me of caramel popcorn and they are disappearing almost as quickly! Just like a pinch of salt in caramel sauce works well, it also works really well in these candied walnuts where the salt contrasts with and balances the their sweetness nicely. I have been snacking on them since they cooled enough to eat, though I will have to stop soon if I want any left for tomorrow to use in the recipe that I made them for.
Candied Walnuts
ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups walnut halves
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (optional)
directions
- Spread the walnuts out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until nice and toasted, about 5 minutes, and set aside. (Watch them carefully.)
- Melt the sugar in a sauce pan and wait for it to turn a nice shade of amber.
- Add the walnuts and mix to coat.
- Pour the walnuts onto a sheet of parchment paper, quickly separate them, sprinkle them with the salt and let them cool.
Mmm I love these on plain vanilla ice cream!
Perfectly sweet, nutty snack!
I can just imagine adding this to a salad. The sweetness of it will bring a nice flavor.
Try adding a little cinnamon or clove to your sugar after it has carmelized. I've done spiced candied nuts using gum paste and they are amazing. Of course, I've had to rely on others to tell me how the walnuts turned out as I'm allergic.
This also works great with almonds and hazelnuts.
Candied walnuts are great. It works to cut the bitterness from them.
ooh! yummy! sugary nuts smells like Christmas to me!
Love the idea of these! They look really good.
Great idea! I have tons of walnuts leftover from buying a whole bag when I only need a few for baking.
Susan Wensel: Thanks for the tip! I am definitely going to try spicing the next batch!
You've tantalized me with the thought of a recipe that uses these! These would definitely be dangerous for me to have around. I definitely would not be able to stop until I ate them all.
These would make really good snacks.. yum!
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We have been eating more and more nuts recently. This is a more delicious way to use them.
I made this recipe, but had to add some water to the sugar to make it really coat the nuts. Toasted them afterwards too.
Great recipe and yummy one with walnuts
for the novice cooks out there like me- one piece of advice… splenda does not melt like sugar!
I'm going to garnish my coleslaw with these tonight.