As the holidays approach, our tastebuds turn to the sweet things in life. As you put together the list of treats you plan to make as gifts or to take to parties this season, add these spiced pecans to your list. The combination of crunch with a sweet-and-salty flavor will be hard to resist, and soon people will be asking for more.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups raw pecan halves
- coarse sea salt for sprinkling
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup together over medium-high heat to form a caramel mixture. Once all ingredients are melted, let the caramel continue to cook for one minute, allowing it to barely come to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
Stir in the baking soda and vanilla. Continue to stir vigorously until no clumps remain and the caramel is light and frothy. Stir in the cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and salt.
Place the pecans in a large bowl and pour the caramel on top, stirring well until all pecans are coated.
Pour the nuts onto a large greased baking sheet or a baking sheet covered in a silicone baking mat, and spread into a single layer. Bake for one hour, removing the pan to stir the nuts every 15 minutes.
Transfer the nuts to a separate greased baking sheet. Spread into a single layer, and sprinkle with coarsely ground sea salt. Allow to cool until firm, about two hours.
This recipe originally appeared in the November/December 2016 issue of Hobby Farms.
