Almond Cranberry Brittle Food

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND-CHERRY BRITTLE

Steps:

• Grease a rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil. Toss together the almonds, chocolate chips, orange zest and cherries in a small bowl, then spread them out in an even layer covering the entire baking sheet.
• In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and 1/2 cup water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Once the sugar has dissolved, stop stirring; instead, using a pastry brush dipped in water, brush the sides of the pan a few times to incorporate any sugar stuck to the sides of the pan. Continue cooking until the sugar syrup turns golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully pour the caramelized sugar over the nut mixture on the baking sheet. (Be careful not to move the baking sheet at this point; it will be very hot.) Let cool for at least 2 hours.
• Break the brittle into pieces and place in bags for hungry trick-or-treaters.

ALMOND CRANBERRY BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line baking sheets with aluminum foil.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in butter; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick and syrupy and a candy thermometer inserted into the center of the syrup, not touching the bottom, reads 230 degrees F (110 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes.
• Mix almonds and cranberries into the sugar mixture; cook and stir until temperature reaches soft-crack stage at 280 degrees F (138 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes. Stir constantly until mixture reaches hard-crack stage at 305 degrees F (152 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Quickly stir baking soda into brittle mixture until fully incorporated. Pour brittle onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Stretch candy out by lifting and pulling from the edges using forks as the candy cools. Cool completely before breaking into pieces.

ROASTED CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 425 degrees F. Toss the cranberries with the sugar, wine, olive oil, 1 tablespoon rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake on the lower oven rack, breaking up the berries with a spoon halfway through, until bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss the almonds with the maple syrup, remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until coated. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and bake on the upper oven rack until golden brown and bubbling, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool until hardened, about 30 minutes. Finely chop the brittle and sprinkle on the cranberry sauce just before serving.

CINNAMON ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°. Grease 2 baking sheets with 1 teaspoon butter; place in oven to warm., In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, wash down the sides of the pan to eliminate sugar crystals. Cook, without stirring, over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 240° (soft-ball stage). Stir in almonds, cinnamon, salt and remaining 3 tablespoons butter; cook until thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage), stirring frequently and brushing sides of pan as needed., Remove from heat; stir in baking soda and vanilla. Immediately pour onto prepared pans, spreading to 1/4-in. thickness. Cool completely., Break brittle into pieces. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND APRICOT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Grease a rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil.In a small bowl toss together the almonds, chocolate chips and apricots. Put them on the baking sheet spreading them out into an even single layer across the entire baking sheet.
• In a medium heavyduty saucepan, stir together the sugar and water. Cook over medium-high heat stirring until sugar disolves.Very Important:Do not stir after that, as additional stirring will create a grainy texture to your candy. Instead, using a pastry brush dipped in warm water, brush the sides of the pan incorporating any of the sugar that has stuck to the sides of the pan. If sugar crystals begin to form on the edges of the pan, place the lid on for 2 to 3 minutes (being careful not to allow the pan to overflow) so that the steam will evaporate the crystals. If sugar crystals are not brushed down, this will lead to large globs of hard sugar on/in your syrup and your syrup will not carmelize. Continue to wipe down the edges and cook until the syrup turns golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Towards the end of cooking time the syrup must be watched closely as it changes from golden to dark very quickly.
• Carefully pour the carmelized sugar over the nut mixture on the cookie sheet. Also be careful not to move the cookie sheet after the sugar has been poured. The baking sheet will be very hot in the beginning. Let cool for at least 2 hours.
• Break the brittle into pieces and place on a serving dish.

CRANBERRY/ALMOND LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
• Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Make a well in the centre and add beaten eggs, Milk, butter and vanilla.
• Sprinkle with cranberries and almonds; stir just until combined.
• Spread into prepared pan, smoothing top.
• Bake for 65 to 75 mins, or until tester inserted in centre comes out clean.
• Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.
• Remove from pan and transfer to rack to cool completely.

ALMOND CRANBERRY BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line baking sheets with aluminum foil.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in butter; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick and syrupy and a candy thermometer inserted into the center of the syrup, not touching the bottom, reads 230 degrees F (110 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes.
• Mix almonds and cranberries into the sugar mixture; cook and stir until temperature reaches soft-crack stage at 280 degrees F (138 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes. Stir constantly until mixture reaches hard-crack stage at 305 degrees F (152 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Quickly stir baking soda into brittle mixture until fully incorporated. Pour brittle onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Stretch candy out by lifting and pulling from the edges using forks as the candy cools. Cool completely before breaking into pieces.