Spiced Pumpkin Seed Brittle Food

SPICY PUMPKIN-SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Lightly grease an 18- by 12-inch jelly roll pan, the bottom of a second jelly roll pan, and a heatproof rubber spatula with oil. Arrange the first pan on trivets or a flat, heatproof surface.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until toasted and fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. (The seeds will crackle as they toast.) Transfer to a heatproof bowl; add cayenne, cinnamon, and salt and toss well. Set aside to let cool.
• Place a heavy, medium saucepan (3-quart or larger) inside a medium cast-iron skillet. Add sugar and 1 1/2 cups water to saucepan and cook over high heat, gently stirring a few times with a wooden spoon, until syrup comes to a boil. Immediately cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook, without stirring or peeking, 3 minutes. Carefully uncover without dripping the lid's condensation into the pot. Reduce heat to medium-high and boil, without stirring, until mixture registers 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer and is light amber in color, about 30 minutes more.
• Quickly remove saucepan from heat, stir in pumpkin seeds, and pour onto the first prepared jelly roll pan. Still working quickly, use prepared spatula to spread mixture evenly into a thin layer, tilting pan to spread candy out as much as possible. (Hold the pan with a towel or oven mitt, since it will heat up quickly after the candy is poured onto it.) Top with second prepared pan and press to spread candy further. Let cool at room temperature 1 hour, and then give pan a tap on the counter to loosen candy. Using your hands, break brittle into pieces and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place up to 2 weeks. Looking for more dessert ideas? Check out our homemade chocolate chip cookie recipes, apple pie recipes, and chocolate cake recipes.

PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Place the oil and seeds into a 10-inch saute pan and set over medium-high heat. Toast the seeds while constantly moving the pan. You will smell their aroma and hear some of them begin to crackle when they are toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a small mixing bowl, add the cayenne, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine.
• Line a half sheet pan with a silicone baking mat.
• Place a 3-quart saucier inside a large cast iron skillet. Add the sugar and water to the saucepan, and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until it comes to a boil. Stop stirring, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until the sugar is a light amber color, approximately 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the pumpkin seed mixture. This will greatly reduce the temperature of the sugar, so work quickly. Once evenly mixed, pour the mixture onto the prepared half sheet pan. Using an oiled spatula, spread thin. You will have to work quickly when pouring out and spreading the mixture in the pan. Cool completely, approximately 30 minutes, and then break into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

SPICED PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a large tray with a silicone baking mat, and set aside until ready to use.
• To a large saucepan, add sugar, corn syrup/glucose, and water. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the mixture is a light golden brown and resembles honey, about 10 minutes.
• Add the butter and allow it to melt.
• Add roasted pepitas* and stir to incorporate.
• Add the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cayenne, and stir gently to incorporate.
• Immediately pour the mixture onto prepared silicone mat. Allow to cool completely, then break into pieces.
• Brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks (if it lasts that long!!)

CHEF JOHN'S PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Stir pumpkin seeds and sea salt together in a bowl.
• Stir sugar, corn syrup, and water together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Boil until mixture is dark golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; whisk in baking soda.
• Pour pumpkin seeds into sugar mixture and stir until well-combined. Transfer pumpkin seed mixture to prepared baking sheet. Place another silicone baking mat over the top of the pumpkin seed mixture and press down to make an even surface for the brittle. Let harden for about 30 seconds; remove top baking mat. Score surface with a knife to form desired shapes. Cool to room temperature and break into pieces.

PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Put a 24- by 12-inch sheet of parchment on a work surface and anchor corners with pieces of tape. Bring sugar, water, and sea salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cook mixture, without stirring, washing down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until syrup registers 238°F (soft-ball stage) on thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes (sugar syrup will be colorless). Remove from heat and stir in seeds with a wooden spoon, then continue stirring until syrup crystallizes, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Return pan to moderate heat and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts completely (sugar will continue to dry and become grainy before melting) and turns a deep caramel color, 4 to 5 minutes more (seeds will be toasted). Carefully pour hot caramel mixture onto parchment and carefully cover with another sheet. Immediately roll out (between sheets of parchment) as thinly as possible with a rolling pin, pressing firmly. Remove top sheet of parchment and immediately cut brittle into pieces with a heavy knife or pizza wheel. Cool brittle completely, then peel paper from bottom. (Alternately, break brittle into pieces once cool.)

PUMPKIN-SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Set aside a large nonstick baking mat or a sheet of oiled aluminum foil. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cream of tartar, and 1/2 cup water. Place over low heat, and stir until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high to bring mixture to a boil. Allow to boil without stirring until syrup turns golden amber, about 10 minutes. (Do not leave unattended as syrup caramelizes suddenly and burns easily.)
• Remove from heat, and quickly add pumpkin seeds. Tilt pan to coat seeds evenly. Immediately pour onto baking mat or foil, trying to spread mixture in a thin layer. Use a spatula to spread mixture evenly before it begins to set and harden.
• Allow to cool and harden completely before breaking into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
• Combine sugar, water, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved and turned a golden brown color. Immediately add pumpkin seeds and mix well to coat with the caramelized sugar.
• Spread the very hot pumpkin seed mix thinly onto the prepared baking sheet. Let cool to room temperature. Break or cut into bite-sized pieces. Store in an airtight container in a cool place or in the refrigerator.

PUMPKIN-SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar and honey. Bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until mixture is medium amber and a candy thermometer registers 280 degrees, about 6 minutes. Stir in pumpkin seeds. Cook until mixture reaches 300 degrees, about 2 minutes. Pour onto prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely. Break into pieces.