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Oct 22, 2019

Pecan Brittle

This pecan brittle is delicious and nostalgic. The toasted pecans combined with the caramelized sugar create such a delicious treat.

Pecan Brittle


Making brittle takes me back to the days of experimenting with candy making when I was in high school. I wasn't much into cooking, but for some reason, the magic of candy making and all of the stages intrigued me.
I guess it was learning about all of the stages (thread, soft ball, hard ball, soft crack, hard crack) that brought out the curiosity. Plus, I'm kind of competitive and like a challenge. 

I'm also a huge fan of pecans. If you are too, you should try these peach shortcakes with candied pecans, this salad with pomegranate, blue cheese, and pecans, and this cake

Pecan Brittle in a pan


Ingredients you will need to make pecan brittle:


Fortunately, making pecan brittle doesn't require a lot of specialized ingredients. All you need are toasted pecans, water, sugar, corn syrup, butter, and baking soda. It's pretty miraculous. 

You will also need to have three buttered jelly roll pans or two half sheet pans at the ready to pour and spread the candy when it reaches the appropriate temperature. 

Pecan Brittle broken up


How to Make Pecan Brittle:


First, you toast raw pecans by tossing them in a heated cast iron skillet or baking them in an oven. Be sure to watch them closely. 

Next, you cook the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a nonstick saucepan until it has reached the hard crack stage (290 degrees F).

After that, you stir in the pecans and butter, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F. 

Remove the mixture from the heat, stir in the baking soda, and pour the mixture oven three large buttered half sheet pans and spread out with an off-set spatula as thin as you can. 

Pecan Brittle close up


Pecan Brittle Variations:


You could add a touch of cinnamon or chili powder to add an extra kick. Other than that, this pecan brittle is pretty much delicious on its own. 

This pecan brittle will last for several weeks if kept in an airtight container between layers of wax paper. 

Pecan Brittle

Make this pecan brittle for gifts this holiday season! 

Homemade Pecan Brittle


October 22 is national nuts day! Let's go nuts! Thanks to Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm for helping us share recipes with nuts. 


Pecan Brittle


Pecan Brittle
Yield: 25
Author:
This pecan brittle brings out all of the flavors of toasted pecans.

ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 cups toasted whole pecans
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 teaspoons baking soda

instructions:

How to cook Pecan Brittle

  1. In a large nonstick saucepan, heat and stir the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Over high heat, using a candy thermometer, cook sugar mixture to a hard crack stage (290 °F).
  2. Add the pecans and butter and cook to 300 °F stirring constantly.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat at 300 °F and stir in the baking soda and continue to stir until frothy for about 30 seconds.
  4. Pour at once onto 2 buttered half sheet pans or 3 buttered jelly roll pans. Spread with a spatula as thin as possible.
  5. Let cool until hardened, and break up the candy.
Calories
199.43
Fat (grams)
7.86
Sat. Fat (grams)
1.68
Carbs (grams)
34.24
Fiber (grams)
0.80
Net carbs
33.44
Sugar (grams)
33.38
Protein (grams)
0.78
Sodium (milligrams)
430.57
Cholesterol (grams)
4.88
brittle, pecans, candy
Candy, dessert
American
Created using The Recipes Generator

Would you like to comment?

  1. Brittle is pretty miraculous and pretty delicious too!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's funny, I am not a big fan of peanut brittle but I love other kinds of nut brittle! I need this one.

    ReplyDelete

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