PRESENTATION
They used to be really easy to find, especially at the stalls at local fairs or amusem*nt parks, together with fritters: They were sold in plastic bags and it was impossible to resist eating one after the other... Now you don’t see them quite as often, which is why we’re going to tell you how to make candied almonds at home! These sweet, crunchy almonds are made using just three ingredients and can be a tasty treat to put in a Christmas stocking or make a nice present to give to your friends, maybe paired with some delicious Christmas cookies. Follow our instructions and in just a few steps you’ll have a delightful snack to munch on that will tempt both young and old alike: For the oldies, it will bring back memories, while the kids will race to see who can eat the most... Here’s our recipe for candied almonds!
Preparation
How to prepare Candied almonds
To make the candied almonds, first prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Now take a pan, possibly stainless steel, and pour in the almonds 1, sugar 2, and room-temperature water 3.
Turn the heat to medium-low and begin to stir: The water and sugar mixture will be very runny at first 4, and then it will start to boil 5 and finally crystallize, forming a coating around the almonds 6.
At this point, turn the heat down slightly and continue stirring until the sugar starts to caramelize 7 and takes on a dark amber color 8. Once they’ve turned brown, pour the almonds out onto the baking sheet lined with parchment paper, taking care to spread them out as much as possible 9. As they cool, separate them with your hands to keep them from sticking to each other. Your candied almonds are ready to be eaten or given away!
Storage
The candied almonds can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container or closed in plastic sandwich bags, for around 7-10 days.
Tips
To make this recipe, it’s better to use stainless steel pans instead of non-stick pans. Follow the same steps to make candied hazelnuts or peanuts, too! By cooking for longer, you’ll get delicious caramelized almonds.
Interesting fact
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? Apparently, it was a common custom, when young men went to visit their girlfriends’ homes, to bring the girlfriend’s mother a small bag of these sweets: This way, the mother-in-law wouldn’t be able to disturb the couple because she would be too busy slowly sucking on the almonds to avoid ruining her teeth... and sometimes she’d even end up falling asleep!
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