How to make
I remember this sweet temptation from my childhood, when there was not as much variety of candies and desserts in the shops as there is nowadays.
My grandmother and mother prepared these caramelized walnuts and we licked around them, until they were ready and then destroyed them as soon as they were.
To this day, they are my favorite and I prefer them to store-bought, packaged sweets.
They are easy and relatively quick to make, depending on the amount you're making.
The water and sugar are put in a pot to boil over high heat. When bubbles begin to form, reduce heat to medium and cook, until they aquire an amber color and thicken.
During this time, prepare a flat surface, on which you can pour the sugar. It can be a wide tray, a layer of baking paper or directly on a marble surface, well cleaned. The selected surface is smeared with oil, which helps avoid sticking.
The walnuts are arranged at a distance and the finished caramel mixture is poured evenly over them. If using Brazil nuts - pecans are pre-toasted in a non greased pan for a short time, since they are softer. I usually add the regular walnuts raw.
This is how the caramelized walnuts are left to cool. They harden and becomes crunchy and very tasty.
In order to break it into pieces and portions, it can then be slightly marked with a knife into squares, for example and this is done while they haven't completely hardened yet.
If a larger amount is prepared, which will not be consumed immediately, add two drops of lemon juice to the still liquid caramel mixture. Another trick to keep the caramelized walnuts for longer is to coat the top with oil or olive oil - this will prevent contact with air and possible melting.
Enjoy munching on these crunchy candied walnuts!
