Candied Valencia Almonds

1 lb  - Spain

Sugar Coated Almonds!

Valencian Almonds from Spain

Handful ready, Valencia almonds from Spain are some of the sweetest almonds in the world, and when you top them with a sweet sugary coating you have one of the best treats to eat, one by one or by the handful!

As you know, wild almonds are bitter, even toxic, and when consumed in even small quantities can be fatal! Domesticated almonds however are not. Even before grafting, domesticated almonds could be as old as the Early Bronze Age (3000-2000 BC). Even King Tut had a few in his tomb.

The natural process of selection of almond trees by the human species unintentionally and then intentionally in almond orchards brings us the sweet almond of today.

Valencia almonds, with its flatter, more pointy tip, make it one of the distinct shapes in the almond world. And when specifically from Spain, these are some of the sweetest grown. Out of the top ten largest producers of almonds in the world, second behind California, Spain produces about 9% of the world’s total.

These candied Valencia almonds have crunch from the sugar and bite from the almond to blend perfectly in the mouth. Not too sweet at all, the sugar instead complements the almond slight bitterness and the milky almond flavor, blending into the perfect chomp. And the best part is that the sugar is not heavy or hard like some sugared almonds.

Instead it breaks away cleanly without any fear of tooth fragmentation. In fact, if you place just one almond in your mouth, the sugar melts away in a wonderful dissolution leaving the almond to be minced up and swallowed.

Combined variables of Valencia almonds and sugar, make each nut crazy good and not just good tasting, but fun to eat. Try a jar of these sugar coated almonds!