Hell Fire Pepper Jelly Recipe: Nuts on Fire

This past Wednesday, we introduced you to Hillary Danner, the Sycamore Grove Park resident who created a pepper-infused, fruit-based concoction called Hell Fire Pepper Jelly* and marked under the Jenkins Jellies brand. (If you missed the story, click here to read it.)

We're featuring a recipe every day from Sweet Heat, a 2012 cookbook about Hell Fire Pepper Jelly preparations that Danner and her friend Maria Newman co-authored.

Here's the third recipe—an appetizer—give it a try this holiday season and let us know how it went:

Nuts on Fire

Makes 1 quart (4 cupss) candied nuts

Special Tools Needed:
• Candy thermometer
• Non-reactive saucepan (i.e., stainless steel or non-stick. No aluminum)

You Will Need:
• 2 cups Hell Fire Pepper Jelly*
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups pecan halves
• 1½ quarts canola oil

What To Do:
• In a saucepan, combine Hell Fire Pepper Jelly* and water over low heat. Heat until consistency resembles maple syrup (about 5 minutes).
• Add nuts to syrup, stirring gently, until nuts are coated. Keep stirring until slightly tacky, then remove nuts and cool on a cookie sheet or grated cooling rack.
• Heat oil in a non-reactive saucepan. Using a candy thermometer, bring oil to 310 °F.
• Fry cooled nuts in small batches (½ cup at a time). This is important for maintaining the oil's temperature. Fry each batch of nuts for about 2 minutes. The nuts are ready when they rise to the surface and the oil stops fizzing or bubbling.
• Remove nuts from pan with a slotted spoon and allow to cool on the cooling rack.

Related: 
• Hell Fire Pepper Jelly Recipe: Melt-Me Baked Brie
• Hell Fire Pepper Jelly Recipe: Crostini with Avocado