Best Cinnamon And Vanilla Candied Pecans Recipes

GEORGE CARAMELIN: CHOCOLATE CINNAMON CUPCAKES WITH VANILLA BEAN BOURBON FROSTING, BOURBON CARAMEL SAUCE, AND CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line standard cupcake pans with 18 cupcake liners.
• Sift the sugar, flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Set the bowl aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, coffee, oil, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until just incorporated. Add vinegar and incorporate. Do not over mix the batter.
• Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake until a toothpick inserted into each cupcake comes out clean, 19 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• For the sauce: In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together the sugar and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Let boil until the mixture starts to turn brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir with a whisk. Add the bourbon and salt and continue stirring. Once the bubbling stops, add the margarine and whisk until melted and distributed. Let cool completely and pour into a clean squirt bottle.
• For the pecans: In a large bowl, toss the pecans with the melted margarine until all the pecans are coated. In a separate bowl, mix the cinnamon, sugar, and sea salt. Toss into the pecan mixture and coat evenly. Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure the pecans are not overlapping. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool completely.
• For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the shortening and margarine until completely combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure that all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. On low speed, slowly add the sugar a little at a time. Once the sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla paste and bourbon and mix on low until the liquids are incorporated. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and mix on medium-high speed until all the ingredients are combined and the frosting is fluffy, about 2 minutes. Put the frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
• To assemble: With a plastic drinking straw or a small paring knife, make holes in the center of each cupcake. Squeeze the bourbon caramel sauce into the center of the cupcake until filled but not overflowing, about 1 tablespoon per cupcake. Pipe a dollop of vanilla bean bourbon frosting onto of each cupcake. Drizzle the top with more bourbon caramel sauce and sprinkle with candied pecans to garnish.

CINNAMON AND VANILLA CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• 1. Put pecans and oil in a flat baking pan; stir until pecans are coated. Roast in 300 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool. Do not roast at a higher temperature or overcook -they will become bitter. (SEE NOTE BELOW.)
• 2. Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt and water in a saucepan; cook, stirring over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
• 3. Boil to 236 degrees of a candy thermometer, or to soft ball stage*. FYI: Tonight I decided that I'd time the candied mixture (both times I made it) and from the time it started boiling until it reached the soft ball stage was only 4 minutes (and it only took about 4 minutes on medium to start boiling). So -in about 8 minutes from mixing it in the saucepan until you remove it from the heat and stir in the Vanilla and Pecans -you have a wonderful confection! Just thought I'd let you know that it isn't time nor labor intensive -just good.
• 4. Remove from heat; blend in vanilla. Add pecans and stir until mixture is creamy (and loses its sheen). Turn out onto waxed paper and use a fork to separate pecans.
• 5. * TO TEST FOR SOFT BALL STAGE: If you do not have a candy thermometer, drop a small amount of syrup into chilled water. When it forms a ball, but is soft enough to flatten when picked up with fingers (234 to 240 degrees), it will be to the soft ball stage.
• 6. NOTE: You can skip the roasting step if you are in a hurry. However, if you taste the candied pecans that have been roasted and ones that have not been roasted, you will prefer roasting them before cooking on the stove -the flavor is so much richer.
• 7. ENJOY!!