APPLICATION

Application of a caramelized sugar coating onto nuts

A caramelized praline shows a dark brown glassy transparent aspect. It is a traditional marketplace process sometimes brought to an industrial scale.

Updated Aug 03, 2021 - 10 min Read

BASE

Core products

The core is a nut, generally a peanut or an almond.

RECIPE

Ingredients

The ingredient list used in the application is fairly short:

  • Caster sugar
  • Vegetable oil

PROCESS

How does it work?

The ingredients do not need any preparation and are used readily. It is usually a batch operation although a larger production can be made on a continuous gas-fired rotating tumbler. The coating operation itself runs as follows

1.

Pour the nuts in a gas-fired rotating pan

5

2.

Add a spoon of oil to prevent agglomeration

5

3.

Pour a ladle of caster sugar onto the nuts and disperse

4.

Carry on mixing and heating to melt the sugar

5

5.

Carry on until it turns into a darker colour

PROCESS

Coating system

The coating occurs typically in a coating pan equipped with a source of intense heat, usually a gas burner.
The sugar is measured and added manually.
Other types of equipment can be used such as a fixed heating pan fitted with a scraping blade on a rotary arm.

PROCESS

Coating system

Coating pan – traditionally made of copper now replaced by stainless steel.

PRODUCT EVALUATION

How do you measure your success?

Key quality features

The process typical factor is the control of the heating to achieve the browning of the sugar without generating dark spots or fines.

Core

Nut or almonds should not peel, split or crack

Sugar

Browning (Maillard reaction) without burning

Product integrity

The product is brittle and must be handled gently

Key quality parameters

The control focuses on cooking but not only

Core product

Standard nut size for an even coating

Design

Scaling up the process should reproduce the hand made operations

Operation

Control of the temperature over time