Stove Top Candied Pecans Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my candied pecans soft on the stove? ›

They most likely didn't cook long enough on the stovetop.

Good news, though! If your candied pecans are still sticky after completely cooling, they may still be saved!

Under-cooking the pecans is the likely cause of stickiness, but the risk is low when they're oven-baked. After the sugar-coated nuts have darkened and turned very fragrant, about 20 minutes in the oven, stir the pecans and separate any pieces that have stuck together. Continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.

If after they have cooled down, the pecans are still sticky, this means that the sugar mixture never reached a high enough temperature when on the stove. To fix them, place the nuts back into the skillet and cook a bit longer.

Either you used raw nuts, or you added them before the sugar had a chance to fully caramelize. Why is the sugar all crystallized and grainy looking? It means that the sugar has crystallized before caramelizing.

They should have a firm, almost crunchy texture and a rich golden or amber color. On the flip side, bad pecans may show signs of spoilage, such as a rancid smell, a shriveled appearance, or a soft and rubbery texture.

Boiling them first will soften the shell, making them easier to crack. The moisture will also reduce the mess by preventing so many tiny shell fragments. Once your pecans have cooled, you can start cracking them. A high quality nutcracker will be your best option for this step.

Usually if the almonds are soft after candying it means that they weren't cooked for long enough. However, this recipe cooks all of the water out of the sugar syrup and then takes it a step further where the the sugar then re-caramelizes allowing the almonds to harden.

Toss nuts- Every 10-15 minutes during baking to prevent them from clumping together and to allow them to become crispy and crunchy. Use egg whites- Or else your nuts might get soft after a few days. To bring them back to a crispy texture, just spread them on a cookie tray and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

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.

"Essential nutrients like iron, protein, calcium, and zinc are better absorbed by the body when you soak the nuts. The water removes the phytic acid present in acids which causes indigestion. So, soaking nuts helps in digesting them properly and reaping the benefits of these nutrients.

Why do my pecans taste bad? ›

Store pecans in cool, dry places away from heat: Because pecans contain such a high amount of healthy, plant-based oils, they are prone to going rancid if they spend too long in warm temperatures.

Beat egg white and water together in a large bowl; add pecans and stir to coat. Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl; sprinkle over moistened nuts. Spread nuts on the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring once or twice, until toasted and fragrant, about 30 minutes.

If you beat too long, the candy will seize and start to crumble. If you don't beat it long enough, then pralines won't set properly and will stay soft and sticky.

Tips for Reviving Stale Candied Pecans

One option is to bake them in the oven for a few minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F and spread the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes, checking frequently, until they're crisp and fragrant. Another option is to microwave them for a few seconds.

Nuts with higher fat content, like walnuts and pecans can also go rancid after a few months if stored at too warm a temperature. If you notice that your nuts have taken on a noticeably bitter, sour flavor, they may have entered this unfortunate phase.

Candied Walnuts Recipe FAQs

These last for up to 1 week at room temperature, 2 weeks in the refrigerator, and 2 months in the freezer. Why are my candied walnuts soft? If they are soft you likely did not bake them long enough.

Here's the thing to remember: If you're filling hasn't set, it means the bottom of the pie crust isn't fully cooked, either. You can prevent the outer crust from further darkening (or even burning) by covering it with aluminum foil or -- more attractively -- with what's known as a pie ring or shield.

Pecan pie filling is extremely liquidy when it first goes into the oven, as it's primarily just sugar, corn syrup, and eggs (though you can use maple syrup as an ingredient swap if you're not keen on corn syrup). As such, you have to cook the pecan pie long enough for this liquid to develop a custard-like consistency.