Maple Candied Walnuts

I love all sorts of nuts, from peanuts and almonds to pistachios and hazelnuts, but walnuts have never won me over. The tannins in their skins don't taste great, and the texture sits in a weird middle ground where they're not tender, but they're not crisp or crunchy either.

The thing is, walnuts are one of the healthiest nuts you can eat. They have more plant-based omega-3s than any other nut, along with plenty of antioxidants, so I've been looking for ways to work more of them into my diet. A few weeks ago I used some to make a walnut miso for stuffed shiitake mushrooms, but I still had a big bag of them left, so I candied the rest, and these are definitely a keeper.

Making them is about as simple as it gets: just add walnuts and maple syrup to a pan and turn on the heat. As the maple syrup boils, the water cooks off until the sugars start to caramelize and cling to the nuts. That sweetness mellows out the tannins, and once the walnuts cool, the coating sets into a shell that gives them a marvelously light and crispy crunch.

Just be sure to keep stirring until there's almost no liquid left in the pan, and they'll stay crisp for a few weeks in a sealed container.

These candied walnuts are what I munch on when I'm in the mood for a guilty pleasure, only they aren't all that guilty. Think of them as a sweet treat that's a little less bad for you than a candy bar. But if savory is what you're craving, check out these Soy Sauce Roasted Walnuts or my Spicy Chinese Nuts (Mala Nuts).