Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Nut Brittle


Confession time. I ate half of this cashew brittle all by myself last week, hoarding it from my family like a squirrel anticipating a long winter. I kept popping a small piece into my mouth, thinking "just this one." Then another. Then another. It was a vicious cycle of sugar bliss.

I can't remember ever eating nut brittle, but my husband says it was a regular confection his grandfather would make. So there you go, nut brittle is part of our family legacy, and now I'm staking a claim on it.

I imagine that nut brittle is the gateway drug into candy making. It's easy to make, and oh my gosh, just delicious. The most difficult part of making brittle is the part where you stand at the stove, stirring. This sweet, buttery brittle candy is loaded with toasted nuts, and hits that craving for sugary and crunchy. You can use any type of nut. We had cashews in the pantry, so that's what went into mine.

I'd make it again in a heartbeat if I wasn't so concerned with detoxing from last week's sugar binge.

Nut Brittle


Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 cup nuts, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions:

Place a sheet of parchment paper or Silpat mat on a baking sheet. Set aside

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir frequently until it reaches 275 degrees on a cooking thermometer. Stir in nuts. Continue cooking and stirring until it reaches 295 degrees.

Remove from heat, and immediately stir in butter and baking soda. Quickly pour entire mixture onto cookie sheet. Spread out into a rectangle that is approximately 14x12 inches. Let cool. Snap into pieces.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

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