The Best Easy Candied Almonds Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my candied almonds not crunchy? ›

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

Combine sugar, water, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Add almonds; cook and stir mixture until liquid evaporates and leaves a syrupy coating on almonds. Pour almonds onto the prepared baking sheet; use two forks to separate clumps and spread into an even layer.

Soaking and roasting almonds

They can also be soaked and then roasted. Soaking almonds is said to be beneficial to digestion and increase the availability of nutrients in nuts, yet anti-oxidant vitamin E can be lost at the higher temperatures required for roasting.

Store candied almonds in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Transfer to a freezer-friendly, airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

If your sugared almonds are sticky rather than crunchy on the outside, it's likely because you didn't bake them for long enough. Next time, bake the almonds for an additional 5 minutes. Just don't be tempted to increase the oven temperature as that could result in burnt almonds!

Either you used raw nuts, or you added them before the sugar had a chance to fully caramelize. Why is the sugar all crystallized and grainy looking? It means that the sugar has crystallized before caramelizing.

Other names

They are a typical open air fair snack in several countries where they receive different names. In France, praline is the common name but sometimes they are simply called "Amandes grillées". In Spain they are called "Garrapiñadas". In Switzerland and Germany they are called "Gebrannte Mandeln".

As a bonus, these candied almonds will make your house smell AMAZING while they bake! Long shelf life: up to 2 months in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer. Enjoy them by themselves, or add them to trail mix or salad (feel free to substitute them for the pecans in my brussels sprouts salad!).

Do you know why candied almonds are known as addormentasuocere (which basically translates to “make your mother-in-law fall asleep”) in some parts of Italy?

It's not necessary to soak almonds before eating them. You can still achieve nearly all the same health benefits from almonds by eating them in their natural form. Plus, soaking almonds may be inconvenient or impractical for some people. Also, the antinutrients that almonds contain aren't likely to be a problem.

How many almonds to eat per day? ›

23 almonds a day.

When compared ounce for ounce, almonds are the tree nut highest in protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin and niacin. Just remember 1-2-3. 1 ounce of almonds, or about 23 almond nuts, is the ideal daily portion recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Here's a simple way to soak them overnight: Place almonds in a bowl, add enough warm tap water to fully cover them, and sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of salt for every 1 cup (140 grams) of nuts. Cover the bowl and let it sit on your countertop overnight, or for 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse.

If you want to be faithful to wedding traditions, the sugared almond wedding favours for each of the guests must contain five almonds representing each of the couple's wishes: love, health, happiness, fertility, and long life together.

It's not just the number of sugared almonds at celebrations that matter, as the colours also represent meaning. White for weddings, silver for twenty-fifth anniversaries, gold for fiftieth anniversaries, sky-blue or pink for christenings, red for graduations, green for engagements.

In case there is bitterness in the taste, then it is best to discard the almonds as it indicates the presence of certain chemicals like phytic acid, which is a natural toxin in the outer layer of almonds High-quality almonds have a fresh and nutty aroma. If the almonds smell musty or rancid, it could indicate spoilage.

If the nuts or candy coating seem 'stringy' or too soft after cooling, just pop them onto your cookie sheet & place them in the oven at 325 degrees (f), stirring gently until they crisp up. To warm these nuts up before serving, you can simply follow the oven instructions above or toss in a warm pan for a few minutes.

In terms of texture, stale nuts tend to feel softer and lose their trademark crunch when stale. Lastly, rancid nuts taste just like how they smell – sour and bitter. At this point, it is not recommended to consume stale nuts as the oxidation has caused the nuts to lose their beneficial properties.

Place almonds in a bowl, add enough warm tap water to fully cover them, and sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of salt for every 1 cup (140 grams) of nuts. Cover the bowl and let it sit on your countertop overnight, or for 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse. If you choose, you can remove the skins for a smoother texture.