Pine Nut Brittle Crocanti Food

NUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Put the nuts, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and honey in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until it becomes a nice walnut color and thickens, about 10 to 12 minutes. Quickly pour onto a silpat or foil lined baking sheet and spread the brittle to an even thickness of about 1/3-inch with the back of the spoon.
• Cool for 3 or 4 minutes then score the brittle with a sharp knife into about 24 (2-inch) squares. Once the brittle has cooled completely, snap along scored marks.

CROCCANTE: ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, add the sugar and cook on high heat. Continue to stir until the sugar begins to sweat and liquify. Add a bit of water to help, if necessary. Continue to cook until the sugar turns into a deep rich brown color.
• Add the almonds and mix well. Cook for a few minutes, making sure the almonds are fully coated. Remove the almonds from the heat and quickly pour and spread the hot almond-sugar mixture onto a buttered cookie sheet to the desired thickness.
• Let cool for 30 minutes before breaking it into smaller pieces.

NECTARINES WITH RICOTTA-VANILLA CREAM AND PINE-NUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Toss nectarines with 1 teaspoon sugar and lime juice in a bowl and let macerate, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Purée ricotta, milk, vanilla, and 3 teaspoon sugar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill in freezer, stirring halfway through, until slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Line a 4-sided sheet pan with foil. Bring water and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until medium amber, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in pine nuts, then immediately pour out onto foil, quickly spreading with a spatula as thinly as possible. Cool 5 minutes. Peel brittle from foil and break into pieces.
• Stir mint into nectarines and serve fruit with ricotta cream and pieces of brittle.

PINE NUT AND ROSEMARY BRITTLE

Steps:

• Coat a 12-by-17-inchrimmed baking sheet withcooking spray. Bring sugarand corn syrup to a boil in amedium saucepan, stirringand brushing down sides witha wet pastry brush to preventsugar crystals from forming,until sugar dissolves. Cook,swirling occasionally, untilmixture just starts to turn goldenaround edge.
• Stir in mix-ins. Cook, stirringoccasionally, until mixtureis pale amber, about8 minutes. Pour onto bakingsheet without spreading.Let cool. Break into pieces.

PINE NUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Spray heavy large baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Stir sugar and water in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep golden, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped into water and swirling pan, about 7 minutes. Immediately pour out mixture onto prepared baking sheet, sprinkle with pine nuts.
• Working quickly and carefully (mixture is very hot and hardens fast), press tip of knife into edges of caramel sheet and gently stretch in all directions until caramel becomes thin and transparent. Cool completely. Break brittle into irregular large pieces. (Brittle can be prepared 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)