Candied Pecans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

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

Praline pecans are just one variety of candied pecans. These pecans have a tasty coating or glaze and are also referred to as flavored pecans.

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.

Candied pecans will keep tightly sealed in an airtight container for one to two weeks. They will keep for at least three weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator and may be frozen for several months.

The pecans only take a few minutes to cook. If you walk away or don't stir constantly they could burn. The nuts will be sticky at first before they cool. If the glazed pecans remain sticky after cooling, transfer the baking sheet to a 325ºF oven for 5-15 minutes, or until they harden.

If you don't beat it long enough, then pralines won't set properly and will stay soft and sticky. Work quickly to drop heaping tablespoons of pecan praline mixture onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Since the problem is mostly that the sugar in the pralines gets hard and crystallized, you might try softening them the way you'd soften hard brown sugar. Place a terracotta sugar saver in the container or something else that's slightly damp, like a few slices of apple or a slice of fresh bread.

If your nuts don't harden fully, that means the sugar wasn't cooked long enough and didn't caramelize. Cook the nuts longer next time!

Pecans too sticky: If your nuts are still sticky after cooling, heat your oven to 325° F and bake for 5 to 10 minutes to help harden the candy coating.

Wet pecans allow the salt to stick easily to the nuts. Plus, soaking nuts helps neutralize enzyme inhibitors, which can harm your digestion, and reduce phytates, which decrease nutrient absorption. Just submerge your nuts in water while the oven is heating up and you'll be good to go.

If you don't plan on eating your candied pecans right away, you may want to consider storing them in the refrigerator or freezer. Refrigeration can keep the pecans fresh for up to three months, while freezing can extend their shelf life for up to six months.

Can dogs eat pecans? ›

Why are pecans bad for dogs? These nuts are toxic for dogs. Eating them can result in pets becoming sick and needing immediate veterinary care. “The reason pecans are considered toxic is that they contain a compound called juglone, also found in walnuts, that is harmful to dogs,” advises Dr.

Candy pecans have a shelf-life of 6 months. You can also store them in the freezer or refrigerator to enhance their shelf-life.

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.

Everything you need to know about this candied pecans

If your candied nuts are turning out all grainy, one reason might be that your sugar crystalized too soon.

Kernel fuzz is not a disease and the brown material that is adhering to the kernel surface is not dangerous to eat. It only tastes dry and bitter. The fuzzy material on the kernel is actually part of the nut's inside shell packing material.

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.

A: Glazed pecans have a rough sugary coated appearance and use about twice the amount of sugar as our praline pecan with no flavor added. The praline pecan has a smooth shiny appearance, with half the sugar of the glazed pecan and praline pecan flavor is added.

French settlers brought the original recipe—which consisted of individual almonds coated in caramelized sugar—to Louisiana, where chefs substituted locally abundant pecans for the almonds and added cream to make what is now known throughout the South as pecan pralines.

A native pecan often has thicker shells and smaller nuts, while improved varieties tend to have more delicate shells and larger nuts. Another clue in identifying different pecan varieties is the nut shape and kernel appearance.