David Lebovitz's Killer Candied Peanuts

By patticakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw peanuts or almonds
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• sprinkle of coarse sea salt or smoked salt
• optional: ground cinnamon or chili powder

Details

Adapted from gottalittlespacetofill.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large skillet (preferably heavy bottomed), mix the peanuts with the water and sugar. Cook over medium heat till the liquid thickens and becomes more like a paste - stir frequently. This step takes several minutes. The peanuts will become almost crusty and coated with crystallized sugar.

The mixture will become quite dry and sandy. Lower the heat and continue stirring and scraping, coating the nuts as much as possible. If necessary, tilt the pan and remove it from the heat to regulate the sugar syrup and the heat level. You want the nuts to become quite dark but not burnt.

Just before they are done, sprinkle the peanuts with the salt and if desired, cinnamon or chili powder, stir them several times then scoop out onto a baking sheet or other heat tolerant surface. Allow to cool completely (nuts can retain quite a bit of heat even if they feel cool).

Break up the clumps and store in an airtight container (they'll keep for a week...if they last that long).