Chinese Five Spice Pecans Recipes

FIVE-SPICE CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a shallow baking pan and a 12-inch square of foil, keeping pan and foil separate.
• In a small heavy saucepan bring water to a boil with sugar, five-spice powder, and salt. Stir in pecans and simmer mixture, stirring, 1 minute. Immediately pour mixture evenly into pan and with a metal spatula spread pecans in one layer. Bake mixture in middle of oven 8 minutes, or until pecans turn mahogany-colored and most of liquid is evaporated. Immediately transfer pecans with metal spatula to foil, keeping them in one layer, and cool completely. (Pecans will continue to crisp as they cool.) Break up any pecans that have stuck together. (Candied pecans keep, in layers separated by wax paper, in an airtight container, frozen, 2 weeks.)

FIVE-SPICE PECAN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°. In a medium saucepan, warm 4 teaspoons vegetable oil over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar, 4 teaspoons water, 1 1/2 teaspoons five-spice powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; stir until sugar dissolves and mixture bubbles. Add 2 cups pecan halves; cook, stirring, until pecans are thickly coated, about 3 minutes. Spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Bake until fragrant and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.

CHINESE FIVE SPICE

Steps:

• In a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, combine all ingredients (in batches if necessary); grind until mixture becomes a fine powder. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

SPICED HOLIDAY PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter 2 large baking sheets.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add brown sugar, 1/4 cup water, salt and spices; stir until sugar dissolves.
• Add nuts to sugar mixture and cook until syrup thickly coats nuts, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer nuts to prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until golden, about 5-10 minutes.
• Cool (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature).

FIVE SPICE PECANS

Steps:

• Put the toasted pecans in a 4-quart slow-cooker.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir together the butter, soy sauce, five-spice powder, garlic powder, ginger, and cayenne.
• Pour mixture over the pecans; stir to coat.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours; stir.
• Spread sheets of waxed paper on your counter.
• Spread nuts out in a single-layer to cool (nuts will be soft initially but will crisp upon cooling).
• Store in air-tight container.