Iced Almonds

Four ingredients and 9 minutes of stirring turn blanched almonds into shatteringly crunchy, caramel-coated candy. Sugar and butter melt together in a heavy skillet while you stir constantly, watching the mixture go from sandy and white to glossy and deep amber brown.

The transformation happens fast at the end. The sugar melts gradually for the first 6 or 7 minutes, then goes from golden to dark brown in about 60 seconds. Constant stirring is what keeps it from burning in spots while other areas are still raw sugar.

A hit of vanilla goes in the second the skillet comes off the heat, and everything gets spread on buttered foil to cool into a brittle sheet you break into clusters.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a heavy skillet, not a thin pan. Even heat distribution prevents hot spots that burn the sugar before the rest has melted.
• Stir constantly. Seriously. Walking away for even 30 seconds risks burnt sugar, and burnt caramel is bitter beyond rescue.
• Watch for splatters as the sugar liquifies. Melted sugar is extremely hot and sticks to skin.
• Butter the foil before spreading the mixture. Without it, the cooled candy cements to the foil and you lose half the batch.

Variations

• Mix in pecans, walnuts, or cashews along with the almonds for a mixed candied nut assortment.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the hot nuts immediately after spreading for a sweet-salty version.
• Add ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon to the sugar before cooking for spiced candied almonds.