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Italian Praline (Croccante)
Italian praline, known as croccante, is a dark and crunchy candy made from caramelized sugar and finely chopped almonds. This traditional treat is noticeably less sweet than standard pralines, allowing the deep, roasted nut flavors to shine. It comes together quickly on the stovetop and hardens into a beautiful, glossy brittle. Serve these diamond-shaped candies alongside an after-dinner espresso, or crush them into fine crumbs to sprinkle over ice cream and frosted cakes. The candy stores well at room temperature, making it an excellent homemade gift.
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 servings as candy, about 2 ½ cups if crushed
- 6 ounces, about 1½ cups, shelled almonds with their skins on
- 1 heaping cup granulated sugar
- 2. Put the sugar and ¼ cup water into a small, preferably light-weight, saucepan. Melt the sugar over medium-high heat without stirring it, but tilting the pan occasionally.
Instructions
- 1Lay a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil flat on a counter to prepare for the hot candy.
- 2Boil the almonds in water for two minutes, then drain them. Wrap the hot nuts in a damp cloth and rub them vigorously to loosen the skins.
- 3Unwrap the cloth and pick out the peeled almonds. If any nuts remain unpeeled, wrap them back up and rub again until all skins are removed.
- 4Discard the loose skins. Chop the peeled almonds finely with a knife until the pieces are roughly half the size of a grain of rice.
- 5Combine the granulated sugar and a quarter cup of water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Swirl the pan occasionally without stirring until the sugar melts and turns a rich golden color. Stir the chopped almonds into the caramelized sugar and cook until the mixture turns golden brown.
- 6Pour the hot almond mixture immediately onto the prepared aluminum foil. Spread the candy out quickly to an eighth-inch thickness using a flat, heatproof tool.
- 7To serve as individual candies, score the warm mixture into two-inch diamond shapes before it hardens.
- 8Allow the candy to cool completely, then lift the pieces from the foil. Store the pieces tightly wrapped in foil or in a sealed jar in a cool, dry place.
- 9To use the praline as a topping, let it cool completely, break it into chunks, and process it into fine crumbs. Keep the ground praline in an airtight container at room temperature.