Friday, July 3, 2009

Candied Pecans - Crunchy Spicy Sweet Pecans

I finally have candied pecans down to a science. These pecans are great in salads and if you dare to eat a handful, be careful because they are addicting. I don’t use a fryer because I generally don’t like fried foods, but if you own a fryer, you can manage the temperature of the oil better. The key to making the pecans crunching is to fry them for a minimum of 4 minutes. I use a timer to make sure every batch turns out perfect. The more you fry them the crunchier they are, I fry mine for 5 minutes












You will need:

Raw unsalted pecans
Powdered Sugar
Paprika
Salt
Vegetable oil (canola or peanut oil alternatives)
Foil
Paper towels












Boil a quart of water and bring to a boil. Add pecans and let cook for 5 minutes.












Drain pecans, place on foil and coat with powdered sugar.












With a metal slotted spoon place pecans in medium heat oil. The degrees should be 375 if you are using a fryer. Don't put too many pecans in at once because they won't cook evenly. I set a timer for 5 minutes.












After 4-5 minutes, place one layer of pecans on foil and sprinkle with Paprika and Salt. Let them dry for 5 minutes or until crunchy to touch. Because they are oily, I place them on paper towels to remove the excess oil. Keep doing this process until all pecans are cooked. The pecans will keep for 1-2 months.

Enjoy!