Do you know these crispy, roasted almonds? Coated with sugar and spices? They are a well-known treat that you can find at German Christmas markets and they’re called ‘Gebrannte Mandeln’. We usually try to visit one or two Christmas markets in Germany during Advent. But this year, understandably, all markets are cancelled due to the pandemic. That’s why I tried to make the sugar-coated almonds at home and it turned out to be really easy! I will share the recipe and some tips here.
What You Need
You really don’t need a lot to make the sugar-coated almonds! Basically, you need sugar, spices, a bit of water and… almonds. You should use the ones with the skin still on.
To make them you need a large non-stick skillet, a wooden spoon and some baking parchment. That’s it.
Spice It Up
In this recipe, I mixed the sugar with cinnamon and vanilla sugar. That’s the basic recipe for sugar-coated almonds. The cinnamon and vanilla smell so good when the mixture is heating up! I also experimented with a readymade spice mix that I had in my cupboard.
There was a package of ‘lebkuchengewürz’ in my kitchen. It’s the German equivalent to pumpkin or gingerbread spice or the Dutch ‘koek- en speculaaskruiden’. All three of these mixtures contain at least cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and ginger. So, if you are feeling adventurous then please experiment with these kinds of spices! It tastes delicious!
Be Careful
There are two warnings that I have to give you… The first one is that these sugar-coated almonds are very addictive! One batch will not be enough.
The second warning is a bit more serious and important: when you make sugar-coated almonds you are working with boiling sugar. Boiling sugar is very hot and can cause serious burnings. Also, your skillet will be very hot afterwards. Just leave it on the stove and let it cool down slowly. Do not pour cold water into the hot pan, it can damage the surface!
Step-by-Step: Sugar-Coated Almonds
Now, let’s get started! You’ll find the complete recipe at the end of this post.
Put the sugar, vanilla sugar and cinnamon in a large, non-stick skillet.
Add the water and stir to combine the ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and stir to help the sugar dissolve.
When the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is boiling, add the almonds to the pan and stir to combine them with the sugar mixture.
Continue to boil over a medium heat and stir regularly. You will see the sugar mixture thicken.
When the water is completely evaporated, the sugar will turn white and crumbly.
The mixture in the pan looks dry at this stage.
The sugar will start to melt. Now, the caramelisation starts. From this point on, continuously stir to evenly coat the almonds with sugar.
When all almonds are coated with caramel and there is no ‘dry’ sugar left in the pan you can tip the almonds on a piece of baking parchment to cool down. Make sure not to burn the caramel (you will smell when that happens!)
You can use two forks to separate the almonds while they are still warm. Store them in an airtight container once completely cooled down. The taste will develop in the next two days, but they’re delicious straight away too!
Don’t worry about cleaning your tools: once the skillet has completely cooled down fill it with water and add the spoon to it. Just leave it for half an hour or so and the caramelised sugar will dissolve in the water.
You can, of course, start a second batch before cleaning your pan (because one will not be enough!)
Sugar-Coated Cinnamon Almonds
Equipment
- A large, non-stick skillet or pan
- A wooden spoon
- Some baking parchment
Ingredients
- 125 g white caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pack (8g) vanilla sugar
- 100 ml water
- 300 g raw almonds skin on
Instructions
- Put the sugar, vanilla sugar and cinnamon in a large, non-stick skillet.
- Add the water and stir to combine the ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Stir to help the sugar dissolve.
- When the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is boiling, add the almonds to the pan and stir to combine them with the sugar mixture. Continue to boil over medium heat and stir regularly. You will see the sugar mixture thicken.
- When the water is completely evaporated, the sugar will turn white and crumbly and the mixture in the pan looks dry at this stage. The sugar will now start to melt and the caramelisation starts. From this point on, continuously stir to evenly coat the almonds with sugar.
- When all almonds are coated with caramel and there is no ‘dry’ sugar left in the pan you can tip the almonds on a piece of baking parchment to cool down. Make sure not to burn the caramel (you will smell when that happens!)
- You can use two forks to separate the almonds while they are still warm.
Notes
- Make sure to use a large, non-stick skillet and stir using a wooden spoon.
- Store them in an airtight container once completely cooled down. The taste will develop in the next two days, but they’re delicious straight away too! They will keep for several weeks.
- Don’t worry about cleaning your tools: once the skillet has completely cooled down fill it with water and add the spoon to it. Just leave it for half an hour or so and the caramelised sugar will dissolve in the water.
- Experiment with some different spices if you're feeling adventurous! Pumpkin or Gingerbread spice are great. The German Lebkuchengewürz or the Dutch Koek-en Speculaaskruiden work great too!
DIY Christmas Gifts
The sugar-coated almonds are a great DIY Christmas gift! I’ve made several batches over the last two weeks and gifted them to friends and family along with some homemade jam, cookies or granola. Just put them in a nice little bag and add a tag: it’s so easy to make homemade presents!
Do you need some more inspiration for homemade Christmas gifts? You can find a few ideas here on the website! How about these recipes:
Or maybe some quick and easy crochet gifts?
- DIY Christmas cards or make a garland:
- Put your homemade goodies in a jar and add a crochet jar cosy to it:
- Or add a few crochet coasters to your gift:
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