Cashews in caramel

[Chester86]

Hello everyone! Haven’t posted in a while.

I used Cashews and Peanuts in my caramel and after a few weeks the caramel didn’t crystallize but it seems to have  had all the moisture sucked out of it! 

The caramels without nuts were fine. 

Is there a way to prevent this or was it the type of nuts I used ?

what I didn’t do before using them?

Thanks for the help !

 

 

[heidih]

I am no confectioner but cashews in general are not very "hard" and can suck liquid. Were they roasted well first?

[Kerry Beal]

26 minutes ago, Chester86 said:

Hello everyone! Haven’t posted in a while.

I used Cashews and Peanuts in my caramel and after a few weeks the caramel didn’t crystallize but it seems to have  had all the moisture sucked out of it! 

The caramels without nuts were fine. 

Is there a way to prevent this or was it the type of nuts I used ?

what I didn’t do before using them?

Thanks for the help !

 

 

What is the condition of the cashews at this point?

[Chester86]

They were fresh. 

Purchased at my local grocery store.

I never did roasts them. Would that effect it?

 

[Chester86]

24 minutes ago, heidih said:

I am no confectioner but cashews in general are not very "hard" and can suck liquid. Were they roasted well first?

No I never did roast them... my mistake!!

 

 

[heidih]

It was just3v a thought but should it make a difference let us  know....Taking a research class - variables

 

Edited October 13, 2018 by heidih (log)

[Chester86]

On 10/13/2018 at 6:14 PM, heidih said:

It was just3v a thought but should it make a difference let us  know....Taking a research class - variables

 

 

I will have to do that! Try out various nuts and do a shelf life test... just hate to waste the caramel and chocolate! But I’m sure I’ll enjoy the tasting part!😁😁

[KennethT]

Nuts will absorb water, regardless of how well roasted, I would think.  I think they should be coated with some kind of moisture barrier (cocoa butter?) before putting in anything other than chocolate, which is basically fat with solid particles suspended.

[Kerry Beal]

14 minutes ago, KennethT said:

Nuts will absorb water, regardless of how well roasted, I would think.  I think they should be coated with some kind of moisture barrier (cocoa butter?) before putting in anything other than chocolate, which is basically fat with solid particles suspended.

If you want to prevent moisture and fat migration with nuts then a gum Arabic solution is usually used.