Burnt Sugar Almonds Gebrannte Mandeln Food

BURNT SUGAR ALMONDS (GEBRANNTE MANDELN)

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine ⅓ cup of granulated sugar with the vanilla extract. Stir until well blended and set aside.
• Line a large baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• IMPORTANT: Use a large heavy bottom saucepan to make these almonds and stir with a wooden spoon. Do not use a nonstick pan.
• Pour the water, 1 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, add the almonds.
• Increase the heat to HIGH and stir the almonds constantly until the water is almost completely gone. The sugar will dry out and start to stick to the almonds. Keep stirring!
• Once the water is evaporated and the sugar is dried out - REDUCE the heat to medium-low. This all happens pretty fast so be ready. Keep stirring on the lower heat until all the almonds have an even shiny candy coating.
• IMMEDIATELY dump in the remaining ⅓ cup of sugar mixed with the vanilla. Keep stirring!
• The fresh almonds will start to pop as they cook and crack, this is normal. Some of the sugar will start to melt and make the almond shiny. Keep stirring until all the almonds are pretty shiny, but still a bit lumpy. You don't want them smooth. The best almonds are the ones that are a little shiny and still lumpy.
• REMOVE from the heat and carefully spread the almonds on the parchment paper. Break them apart as much as you can as they cool. BE CAREFUL as they are very hot. Don't use your fingers.
• It's very hard not to start eating them because the aroma is completely intoxicating. But you need to wait until they cool or you'll burn your mouth! Slightly warm is good - just be careful.
• Once cooled completely store in an airtight container. The almonds will keep for 2 weeks and are terrific for shipping and sharing.

GEBRANNTE MANDELN AKA GERMAN BURNT SUGAR ALMONDS

Steps:

• Add the water and 1 cup of sugar to a heavy bottom saucepan or skillet with sides.
• Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Once boiling, add in the almonds and stir CONSTANTLY until the water is boiled away. The sugar will begin to dry out a little and start to stick to the almonds. Keep stirring them around, so that the almonds don't have a chance to burn on the bottom of the pan.
• One the almonds begin looking dry, turn the heat under the pan to medium-low, to keep the sugar from browning too fast. Keep stirring until the almonds start to get a little shiny in spots.
• You are getting a serious arm workout making these - but its all good! It means you can eat extra!!
• Now remove your pan from the heat for a minute, add in the extra 1/4 cup of sugar (or flavored sugar mixture). Keep stirring.
• At this point, there might be some noise ensuing from your pan. Some crackling and popping, but hopefully not to much. It depends on how fresh your almonds were. Really fresh almonds will make a popping noise and the coat may start to crack. That's the water in the almonds escaping. If the almonds are older, that will not really happen.
• Keep stirring until the almonds are a little shiny, but still a bit lumpy and coated. T
• he best ones are the ones that are shiny in some areas with some delicious lumps of cinnamon sugar on other parts of the almond. As soon as you see that happening, take them off the heat and transfer the almonds to a sheet of parchment paper. Spread them apart as much as you can, but don't worry about some of them sticking together initially.
• BE CAREFUL, however. These are extremely hot, so use a spoon. The coating on the almonds will harden up more after they are completely cooled.
• Watch my 1 minute TikTok video to see how it is done.

CANDIED SUGARED ALMONDS (GERMAN GEBRANNTE MANDELN)

Steps:

• In a large heavy skillet, heat almonds, sugar and butter over medium heat.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until almonds are toasted and sugar is a golden brown, about 15 minutes. Watch them carefully, do not scorch.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Spread on buttered aluminum foil; sprinkle with salt and dust lightly with cinnamon, if using.
• Cool and break into clusters.
• VARIATION: For a nice variation, omit the salt and cinnamon, and replace vanilla extract with 1 tablespoon culinary rose water.
• Store in an airtight container; freezes well. Give as gifts, wrapped in small cellophane bags tied with ribbon.