Why did my almonds burn instead of caramelizing?
I tried to make caramelized almonds yesterday with the following recipe: heat 300 grams of sugar with 80 grams water. When mixture reaches 125 degrees Celsius, add the almonds. The almonds would develop a sandy white coating that would turn to caramel. When mixture reaches 150 degrees Celsius, remove from heat. I used halved almonds which I toasted before, per the recipe, and did the cooking in a small saucepan.
What happened is the almonds did develop the sandy white coating but then burned before the it turned to caramel (they burned right after I added them and started stirring). Then I tried again, used a bit more water and a more accurate thermometer, thinking the temperature was the issue. The other thing I changed was using about two-thirds whole toasted hazelnuts since I ran out of almonds. It did turn out better, but I noticed the halved almonds still turned black, while the hazelnuts were OK. Also, I've tried the recipe before, using whole cashews, and it was fine.
So, my question is why did the almonds burn and how can I prevent this?
Best Answer
Right off the top of my head, I would have to say that it had to do with the toasting OR the size of the nut. If you toasted the halves longer than you normally would, if they were a darker brown color, then it would take less time for them to burn. Then you mentioned Whole cashews vs. halved almonds. The thickness of the individual pieces is also going to affect how fast they cook through (and then burn). Then there's the fact that your hazelnuts (also thicker than halved almonds) turned out ok.
If you REALLY REALLY want to make this recipe with almonds, I'd almost suggest not toasting them at all...or very, very lightly.
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Answer 2
Did you consistently and constantly stir the nuts? Toasting thin nuts like sliced almonds in a pan requires constant stirring to promote even browning on their surface; otherwise, the edges will reach temperature too quickly and burn.
Also, if your pan is thin or aluminum, the rapid heat changes can promote burning, especially without stirring.
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