Pecan Brittle, a Twist on a Classic

Peanut Brittle is classic Holiday

Holiday season brings seasonal flavors and recipes.  Recipes you’ve been waiting all year to eat.  Well, peanut brittle is one of those dishes.  The smell of butter and sugar with vanilla is comforting and brings loving memories of the holidays.

At my church, one of the older members would make homemade candies and cookies for Christmas every year.  There was always a package labeled just for the Pastor.  I couldn’t wait for my Dad to open the yummy goodness.  (Did you know I was a Pastor’s daughter for most of my life?) It was guaranteed to be pralines, caramels and peanut brittle in there.  Yum Yum Yum!  It’s nothing like holiday treats.

A twist on the traditional peanut brittle

Though I like peanut brittle, I’m not always the biggest fan of peanuts.  I don’t even like peanut butter, can you believe it.  So I decided to try substituting the peanuts with pecans and it was AMAZING! It still gave me the crunch and salty sweet taste of peanut brittle, but with a buttery nut taste.  What I’ve decided, is that brittle will probably taste great with any nut.  So in the recipe below, feel free to substitute with any nut you like.  

Making Easy Brittle

Making homemade candy, or caramelizing sugar in general, requires safety and patience.  The mixture can get up to 300 degrees which can burn you pretty bad, so have your oven mitt ready.  Due to hot liquid, this might not be a project for the kids.  Second, it takes time to melt sugar properly on the stovetop with a candy thermometer.  So I was SO excited when I found this amazing recipe to make peanut brittle in the microwave!  I may never go back to the old way.

Though the above recipe is great on its own, I did change a few things.  I used dark corn syrup instead of light.  I personally thin dark syrup has a richer flavor, and gives the candies a darker color.  It does burn easier though, so make sure to watch your timing in the microwave.  I also added an extra tablespoon of butter…I mean does that even need an explanation…yum.  Lastly, I rarely ever measure vanilla.  I just pour until the heavens say stop…which in this case I think is about 1-2 teaspoons.

Pecan Brittle Recipe

Start by combining the sugar, corn syrup, and nuts in a glass bowl.  A glass container is about the only material that will last in the microwave at this temperature. Here’s a great Pyrex set: 

Stir them together then pop them in the microwave for 2 minutes and 30 seconds (microwaves may vary).  Once it’s done, take it out and stir the mixture carefully.  Then pop it back into the microwave for another 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

After the second microwave round, it’s time to add the butter and vanilla. I like to stir the hot mixture first then add the butter and vanilla. Stir everything until the butter is completely melted then pop it back in the microwave for 1 minutes and 45 seconds.

The next step is to add the baking soda. Sprinkle the baking soda right on top of the mixture right out the microwave. Do a quick stir and immediately transfer the brittle to your pan to cool. Brittle or any hard sugar has to be placed on a nonstick surface. I use a silpat baking liner (here’s one similar to the one I have), but you can also use parchment paper, not wax paper. It is not the same thing. I learned that the hard way many years ago. Try to spread the mixture evenly on the cookie sheet, but you will have to work quickly because it starts hardening quickly and it sticks to everything.

Lastly, let your brittle cool for 30-45 minutes. Once it is cool to touch and has hardened, have fun breaking it up into small pieces. I have to admit, this is my favorite part…baking and releasing some stress all at the same time. LOL Don’t judge me!

There you have it. Yummy goodness in less than an hour. I hope you enjoyed. Get the full recipe below. I’d love to see your pictures and let me know if you tried any other type of nut.

If you are interested in more DIY stuff, I have a helpful guide about “How to start crafting.” Check it out. I believe everyone has the ability to be creative and Creativity will have powerful impacts in all areas of your life.

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Yield: 2 dozen pieces

Pecan Brittle

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A twist on the traditional Peanut Brittle with the same salty sweet nostalgia.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 43 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
• 1 cup of Pecans (or any nut you prefer)
• 2 tbsp salted butter
• 1-2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

1. 1. Place the sugar, corn syrup and pecans in a glass bowl and stir together.
2. Place in microwave for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
3. Remove the hot mixture carefully and stir. Microwave a second time for 2 minutes and 45 seconds.
4. Remove the glass container from the microwave and add butter and vanilla. Stir until butter is melted and everything is combined. Microwave for an additional 1 minute and 45 seconds.
5. When finished, sprinkle the baking soda over the hot mixture and immediately pour onto your nonstick surface. Spread out the brittle to an even layer with nonstick utensils. Work quickly.
6. Let the brittle cool and harden for 30-45 minutes. Once hard, break up into small bit size pieces.
7. Seal in an air tight container to keep them fresh and crunchy.

Notes

Make sure to have non-stick utensils and a glass container.

Unitil next time, Stay Crafty…

Angie