How to Make Candied Pecans

Name: Melissa Fabbio

Bio: Melissa Fabbio is a professional chef native to Austin, TX. She is currently the Pastry Supervisor for McGuire Moorman Hospitality Group, which includes such renowned Austin restaurants as Perla's, Lambert's and Elizabeth St. Cafe. Previously, she worked for Chef Thomas Keller at the world famous Bouchon Bakery in Yountville, California. Fabbio attended The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

Purchased candied pecans are a costly luxury, but you can make your own for a fraction of the cost. You need only two ingredients -- pecans and sugar -- and the process takes less than 15 minutes. Store pecans in the freezer until you're ready to use them and use candied pecans within two months.
How to Make Candied Pecans

Skillet Method
To make candied pecans, simply pour some white sugar in a skillet or saucepan. A nonstick pan works best, although stainless steel will do. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly. As the sugar gets hot, it begins to melt into a thick liquid. Add the pecans and stir so the liquid coats the pecans. Initially, it might seem like the sugar takes a long time to melt and you may wonder if you're doing something wrong. Just be patient and keep stirring so the sugar doesn't burn. Once the sugar has coated the pecans, pour the pecans out onto a sheet of parchment paper to allow them to cool. The sugar quickly hardens and becomes crunchy. Break the pecans apart and store them in a cool dry place.

Oven Method
To make pecans in the oven, which takes longer but requires less supervision, stir pecans into some beaten egg whites to coat them. Drain the egg whites and toss the pecans with sugar and any additional desired ingredients such as cinnamon. Place the pecans on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Dress It Up
Whole candied pecans make a delicious appetizer or a lovely gift. Package them in a glass container with a bow or vary the flavor by adding cinnamon or chili pepper to the sugar. You can also chop the candied pecans up to use in desserts, salads and other dishes. Dress up pumpkin pie or cheesecake with a sprinkling of chopped candied pecans or toss them in a holiday salad along with pomegranate seeds and chopped apples. Use apple juice instead of water to make steel cut oatmeal, then top with some chopped apples or dried cherries and a few candied pecans. Although pecans are probably the most common candied nut, you can candy other nuts as well, including almonds, cashews or peanuts.

Too Hot to Handle
Sugar becomes extremely hot and sticky as it melts, and can cause painful burns. The nuts themselves are also very hot immediately after cooking. Use a spoon to spread the nuts on the parchment paper and wait to break them apart until they've cooled enough to handle. Always let guests know when a dish contains candied pecans to avoid the risk of an allergic reaction.

History in a Nutshell
Native to the U.S., pecans were a staple food for the Algonquin Indians. They grow mainly in the "pecan belt," which stretches through 20 states from the Southeast to the Southwest. The U.S. is still the largest pecan producer in the world, harvesting over 200 million pounds annually. Pecan trees are large, open-canopied trees that can grow to over 100 feet tall and live 1,000 years or more, according to Natchitoches Pecans.

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