Pecan Brittle Food

PECAN BRITTLE

Steps:

• Grease a 15x10x1-in. pan with 2 teaspoons butter; set aside. , In a 2-qt. microwave-safe glass dish, combine sugar and corn syrup. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 4 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage). , Add pecans. Microwave for 4 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage). Mixture will be very hot. Vigorously stir in the baking soda, vanilla and remaining butter until blended. , Quickly pour into prepared pan; spread with a metal spatula as thin as possible. Cool completely; break into pieces. Store in an airtight container with waxed paper between layers.

BACON PECAN BRITTLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Cover a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Butter the paper generously.
• Place the sugar, corn syrup, water and butter in a large sauce pot. Attach a candy thermometer on the side of the pot, with the bottom down in the sugar mixture. Turn the heat on medium-high and bring the sugar to a boil.
• Meanwhile, chop the bacon finely, place it in a skillet, and cook over medium heat until brown. Then drain the bacon bits well on paper towels. They need to be dry, not greasy when added to the brittle.
• Watch the candy thermometer closely. When it reaches 275 degrees F or "Soft Crack" carefully stir in the pecans. It usually takes 15-25 minutes to reach this temperature.
• Continue to boil the candy. The moment the thermometer reaches 295 degrees F or "Hard Crack" turn off the heat. Carefully stir in the vanilla extract and dried bacon bits. Then stir in the baking soda. The mixture will bubble up to create air pockets.
• Quickly, yet very carefully, pour the hot liquid brittle on the prepared baking sheet. Pour it in a zigzag pattern across the baking sheet so it spreads out and fills the sheet in an even layer.
• Immediately move the baking sheet to the refrigerator or freezer so that it cools fast, retaining as many air bubbles as possible. This creates a light airy texture.
• Once the entire sheet of brittle is hard, break it into 36 pieces. Store the brittle in an airtight container until ready to serve.

PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Measure the vanilla into a small bowl and set aside. Combine the baking soda and salt in another small bowl and set aside. Butter 1 cookie sheet with sides or jelly roll pan liberally with 1/2 stick of the butter. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, attach a candy thermometer and cook over medium-high heat until the syrup spins a thread when poured from a spoon or reaches 240 degrees F on the thermometer. Stir in the peanuts and continue cooking and stirring until the candy becomes golden brown or reaches 300 degrees F.
• Remove from the heat immediately and quickly add the remaining 1 stick butter and the vanilla, baking soda and salt. Stir only until the butter melts, and then quickly pour the brittle onto the cookie sheet, spreading the mixture thinly. When the brittle has completely cooled, break the candy into pieces and store in a tightly covered container.

PECAN BRITTLE

Steps:

• In a nonstick saucepan, heat and stir sugar, corn syrup, water and salt over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Over high heat, using a candy thermometer, cook sugar mixture to a hard crack stage (290 °F).
• Add pecans and butter and cook to 300 °F stirring all the time to keep the nuts from burning. Pull off heat at 300 °F and stir in baking soda while beating to froth for 30 seconds.
• Pour at once on to 4 well buttered 15 1/2 by 10 by 1-inch pans. Spread with a spatula as thin as possible. As the brittle cools you may use gloves to hand stretch the brittle which will give it a better eating quality.
• This brittle has a great shelf life, if kept in airtight zip locks or containers; it will keep for 2 months.
• Paula's Gift Packaging Tip: I love to junk for little pots and pans. I found this copper one at a store here in Savannah for FIVE dollars! I thought it would be the perfect way to gift my Pecan Brittle. I lined the saucepan with natural parchment paper piled it high with pecan brittle and tied a satin ribbon on the handle. Don't forget to add the recipe!

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.

ALMOND-PECAN BRITTLE

Steps:

• Place almonds and pecans on a baking tray and bake at 180 degrees C for 5 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.
• Place sugar, brown sugar, golden syrup and water in a heavy-based sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Add butter, bring to the boil and boil, without stirring, until mixture reaches hard crack stage (when the syrup is dropped into iced water it separates into threads which become hard and brittle) or 150 C on a sugar thermometer.
• Stir in bicarbonate of soda and toasted nuts.
• Pour into a lightly oiled 23 cm cake tin.
• When almost set, cut into squares.

PECAN BRITTLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
• Add in pecans, stirring until combined.
• Place a candy thermometer into the mixture and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300°F.
• Immediately remove saucepan from heat and quickly stir in butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and baking soda.
• Immediately pour onto prepared baking sheet. Using a rubber spatula, spread the mixture into rectangle about 14x12 inches.
• Cool completely.
• Snap candy into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

PECAN BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat. Mix together baking soda, 1 teaspoon water, and vanilla in a small bowl; set aside.
• Mix together sugar, 1 cup water, and corn syrup in a 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 240 degrees F (115 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water and placed on a flat surface, about 25 minutes.
• Stir in pecans and butter. Heat to 300 degrees F (149 degrees C) or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads, about 13 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in reserved baking soda mixture, until candy is light and foamy.
• Pour mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and allow to cool until hardened, 1 to 2 hours. Break into pieces.