Brown Sugar Pecan Brittle Food

PECAN BRITTLE

Steps:

• Cook first 3 ingredients in a medium size heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to boil.
• Boil without stirring 5 minutes or until a candy thermometer reaches 310 degrees.
• Add pecans, and cook 2 - 3 more minutes or to 280°F (mixture should be golden brown).
• Remove from heat, and stir in butter and remaining ingredients.
• Pour mixture onto a metal surface or onto a shallow pan.
• Allow to stand 5 minutes or until hardened.
• Break into pieces.
• * If you'd like you can also add popcorn.
• Prepare brittle as directed.
• Stir in 1 cup popped popcorn before pouring into pan.

BROWN SUGAR PECAN BRITTLE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir brown sugar in hot butter until dissolved. Add cinnamon and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir vanilla into brown sugar mixture; cook and stir until vanilla stops sizzling, about 30 seconds. Add pecans; cook and stir until pecans are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Pour pecan mixture out in a layer on parchment paper. Let cool to room temperature before breaking into pieces, about 20 minutes.

SUGAR BRITTLE

Steps:

• Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts, about 5 minutes. Pour the sugar onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and allow to cool, 5 to 10 minutes (sugar will be hot). When cool enough to handle, crumble into small pieces.

SOUR CREAM LAYER CAKE WITH PECAN BRITTLE

Steps:

• Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine sugar, 1/4 cup water, and cream of tartar in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush, about 9 minutes. Add chopped pecans and swirl to blend. Pour out onto prepared baking sheet; spread evenly. Cool brittle completely. Cut 3 large pieces of brittle (each about 1 1/2 inches). Cut remaining brittle into 1/3-inch pieces. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Combine cake mix, eggs, sour cream, oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until well blended, about 3 minutes; fold in grated bittersweet chocolate. Divide batter equally between prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Cut around cakes to loosen; turn out onto racks. Peel off paper and cool cakes completely.
• Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and 3 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. Mix in cream. Beat 3 cups powdered sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in brown sugar mixture. Beat in enough remaining powdered sugar to form frosting that is thick enough to spread.
• Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup small brittle pieces; press into frosting. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Stand large brittle pieces in center of cake. Arrange smaller brittle pieces in 1-inch-wide border around top edge of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

BROWN SUGAR PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• In a heavy 3-quart saucepan combine sugars, corn syrup, water, and a dash of salt.
• Cook and stir until the sugars dissolve.
• When syrup boils, blend in butter.
• Stir frequently after mixture reaches thread stage and candy thermometer registers 230 degrees.
• Add peanuts when temperature reaches soft-crack stage, 280 degrees.
• Stir constantly until temperature reaches hard-crack stage, 300 degrees.
• Remove from heat.
• Quickly stir in soda and mix well.
• Pour onto buttered 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1" baking pans.
• As candy cools, stretch it by lifting and pulling with two forks from edges to make it thinner.
• Break into pieces and cool.