Candied Pecans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between candied pecans and praline pecans? ›

What is the difference between candied pecans and pralines? Candied pecans are pecans coated in egg whites, sugar, and spices, then baked until crispy. Pralines are a drop-candy with a caramel-like base and crunchy pecans mixed in.

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.

How long will candied pecans keep? They will keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, at least three weeks in the refrigerator, or up to two months in the freezer. No matter where you store them, keep in a tightly sealed, airtight container.

After 45 minutes, remove them from the oven and let them rest. You can remove the pecans to a baking sheet to cool faster if you like. Stir them every 10 minutes or so to avoid them clumping together, or you can just break them apart with a spatula or your hands later. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Pralines are grainy because the sugar doesn't get hot enough to fully dissolve. You may think using a candy thermometer is the answer to this but even with all the recipes I've tried, that's not always true.

Compared to butter pecan ice cream, praline ice cream is smoother in texture, owing to the fact that the nuts have already been transformed into pralines. Butter pecan ice cream keeps the actual pecan nuts intact, resulting in a crunchier texture.

If you beat too long, the candy will seize and start to crumble. If you don't beat it long enough, then pralines won't set properly and will stay soft and sticky.

Boiling pecans before cracking them can actually help prevent the shell from shattering.

Measurements and Substitutions

If you happen to have pecans in their shells, remember that 1 pound equals 3 cups shelled, about 4 cups pecan halves, and about 3 3/4 cups chopped nuts. Equivalents to know when using shelled pecans are that 1 pound equals 4 cups and 1 cup of pecan halves equals 3/4 cup chopped.

How can you tell if pecans are rancid? ›

Nuts with higher fat content, like walnuts and pecans can also go rancid after a few months if stored at too warm a temperature. If you notice that your nuts have taken on a noticeably bitter, sour flavor, they may have entered this unfortunate phase.

Answer: Absolutely! Freezing your pecans is the best way to store them. You can extend the shelf life of shelled pecans up to 2 years by freezing them. Just make sure that you put them in an air-tight, heavy duty freezer bag.

How do you make candied nuts not sticky? To make prevent candied nuts from getting sticky, make sure you bake them at medium heat for two to four minutes. Otherwise, the sugar will not reach a high enough temperature to develop that nice candy coating on the outside.

Soaking nuts in salted water and then allowing them to dry gently, makes the nuts much more digestible and allows our bodies to better assimilate the nutrients that are in nuts. Plus, soaking and drying nuts helps them taste more delicious.

If your candied pecans are soft, it is likely because the sugar syrup coating has not completely hardened. The syrup may still be wet, or it may have started to crystalize. If the syrup is still wet, you can try putting the nuts in the oven for a few minutes to help the syrup harden.

praline, is a firm combination of almonds and caramelized sugar. These candied almonds can be ground into a powder called "pralin" that is used to fill the Belgian chocolates.

Types of Pecans and Pecan Varieties

A native pecan often has thicker shells and smaller nuts, while improved varieties tend to have more delicate shells and larger nuts.

For one, pecan pralines are a patty-shaped candy made from pecans and several other ingredients, typically sugar, butter, and cream. Praline pecans, on the other hand, are individual pecan nuts with a praline-flavored coating.

Praliné is a nut-based paste used widely in pastry-making. It's not to be confused with praline, which is a candy coated with caramelized sugar.