Ingredients:
1 lb. dark brown sugar (about 2-1/4 cups firmly packed)
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon (yes that's right) cinnamon or vanilla
1 lb. pecan halves or other nuts
Method:
In a 3-qt. saucepan combine water and brown sugar. Cook and stir over
heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, cover pan and reduce
heat to low.
Cook for 2-3 minutes covered so steam will wash down undissolved sugar on sides of pan.
Uncover, raise heat and bring to a boil again. Boil until the syrup reaches the hard crack stage (about 310 deg. Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer.) In other words, a little syrup dropped into cold water spins a thread that breaks when touched.
Immediately remove from the heat, stir in the flavoring and then the nuts. Continue stirring until the mixture sugars which should be just a few minutes. Then turn out on a greased cookie sheet or piece of foil.
Using two forks (or your fingers if you like), separate the nut halves. Cool and store in a tightly covered container.
You can use other nuts besides pecans and large pieces of nuts instead of nut halves, if you like.