Nut brittle makes a delicious snack or dessert. You can use pretty much any nuts to make it, including peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts or hickory nuts, and there are lots of different varieties. The following three recipes show you three different ways of making this delicious candy. If you do not have strong teeth but you still have a sweet tooth, you might prefer to make something soft and easier on the jaw, such as jello recipes.
Recipe for Hazelnut Brittle
The following recipe makes twenty four servings and it is conveniently made in the microwave.
What you will need:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup chopped hazelnuts
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon butter
How to make it:
Butter a baking sheet. Mix the nuts, corn syrup, salt, and sugar together and microwave this mixture for seven and a half minutes on high, stirring it once. Add the butter and keep cooking the mixture for another two or three minutes. Stir in the baking soda and vanilla and mix well. Pour the mixture on to the buttered baking sheet and let it cook a bit. Stretch it out if you want a thinner brittle. Let it cool and then break it into pieces.
Recipe for Pecan Brittle
This brittle, which makes sixteen servings, features the unique flavor of pecans, as well as butter, sugar, corn syrup and more for a rich flavor and chewy texture.
What you will need:
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
How to make it:
Butter a baking sheet. Add the corn syrup, sugar, salt, and water to a big, heavy skillet and bring it to a boil over a moderately high heat. Add the chopped nuts and keep cooking the mixture until the syrup starts to brown. Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the baking soda and butter. Pour it on to the buttered baking sheet and let it cool. Break it into pieces to serve.
Recipe for Walnut Brittle
You will need to use real maple syrup for the following dish. Artificial maple syrup will not taste anywhere near as good! This recipe has only five ingredients and the combination of maple syrup and walnuts is truly stunning. This makes one pound of walnut brittle.
What you will need:
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 cups toasted walnut pieces
- 1/4 cup water
How to make it:
Stir all the ingredients except the nuts together in a heavy pot over a moderate heat until the mixture is creamy. Keep boiling it gently until a candy thermometer reads 300 degrees F. Stir in the nuts and pour the hot mixture on to an ungreased baking sheet. Use a wooden spoon to spread it out in a thin layer. Let it cool, then break it into pieces, and store it in an airtight container.