Diane's Christmas Pecans

By Hklbrries

The perfect recipe for holiday gift giving can be almost anything, as long as it comes from your kitchen – and from the heart. A favorite family recipe is a good place to start. A jar of jam or chutney canned when the fruits were at their peak is always welcome. A simple sugar cookie can look elegant with a dusting of sprinkles, especially if it’s tied up in a small bag with a pretty ribbon.

The treats don’t have to be expertly decorated. If you can wield a pastry bag like a pro, that’s perfect. But giving a child a zip-top sandwich bag full of frosting with a snipped corner works just as well. Let them have fun shaking seasonal nonpareils onto the cookies; they’re easy to clean up.

Include the recipe on the gift tag if you like, or at the very least, add a note about how your treat should be stored and when it’s best enjoyed.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 egg whites, room temperature (do not use refrigerated liquid egg whites)
• 1/8 tsp kosher or sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 1 pound shelled large or jumbo pecan halves

Preparation

Step 1

Position a rack in center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Have ready a large rimmed baking sheet, preferably nonstick for easier cleanup.

Melt the butter on the baking sheet in the oven. Be careful not to let the butter brown. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the salt and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Pour the vanilla over the brown sugar, add the sugar 2 tablespoons at a time to the egg whites, beating on high speed to form a strong, shiny meringue with stiff, glossy peaks. Using a spatula, gently fold in the nuts until they are well coated.

Carefully tip the rimmed baking sheet so the butter evenly coats the bottom of the pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread the nuts over the butter without stirring to form an even layer without deflating the meringue.

Bake the nuts for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir with the spatula, moving the nuts at the center of the pan to the edges and the nuts at the edges closer to the center. Return the pan to the oven, bake the nuts for 15 minutes longer, and stir them again. Continue baking, stirring every 15 minutes, until the nuts are separated, have absorbed the butter and glisten, and are beautifully browned, but not dark brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Immediately turn the nuts out on a counter lined with a long sheet of aluminum foil; spread them out, and let cool completely. (Store in an airtight tin or covered glass container, or wrap in gift boxes lined with decorative waxed paper. The nuts will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 weeks.)