Spanish Candied Nuts

An amber caramel coating that cracks under the tooth, revealing the toasted heart of the almonds and hazelnuts. The sugar should be shiny and coat each nut perfectly without clumping.

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 658
• Protein: 12 g
• Carbs: 47 g
• Fat: 45 g

Ingredients

• 100 g Almond with skin ( whole )
• 100 g Hazelnut ( whole )
• 100 g Walnut kernel ( raw )
• 150 g White sugar
• 50 ml Mineral water
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp Cinnamon ground
• 1 pinch Fleur de sel

Instructions

1. Dry roasting

   In a wide pan, place the almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts. Heat over medium heat, stirring often. When a toasted nutty smell develops and the almond skins start to crack, remove from heat.

2. Preparing the syrup

   Pour the water, white sugar, and honey into a heavy-bottomed pan. Bring to a boil. Let it boil until the syrup forms large bubbles and becomes syrupy.

3. Sanding and caramelizing

   Toss the nuts into the syrup with the cinnamon and sea salt. Stir constantly with a wooden spatula. The sugar will first turn white and powdery (sanding), then melt again to become a shiny caramel coating the nuts.

4. Cooling

   Immediately spread the nuts on a flat surface to prevent them from sticking together. Separate them with a fork before the caramel fully sets. Let cool until the shell is completely hard.

Chef's tips

• Never take your eyes off the pan during sanding; the transition from powdery sugar to caramel happens in seconds.
• Use a stainless steel or copper pan for better heat conduction.

Storage

Store in an airtight glass jar at room temperature, away from humidity to maintain the crunch.