Pine Nut Brittle Recipes

THE BEST PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease with nonstick cooking spray.
• Stir together the sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan fitted with a candy/deep-fry thermometer. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then continue to boil until it's golden brown and it reaches 340 degrees F, about 15 minutes.
• Working quickly, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and baking soda until smooth (it will foam and bubble up). Stir in the peanuts until evenly distributed amongst the sugar mixture.
• Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and quickly smooth with a rubber spatula into a thin and even layer. Let harden uncovered at room temperature until cooled completely. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

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.)

HONEY MOUSSE WITH PINE NUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• HONEY MOUSSE: Whip yolks and honey in a standing electric mixer until thick (approximately 10 minutes). Whip cream. Fold cream and honey/egg mixture. Freeze for at least 40 minutes. PINE NUT BRITTLE: Mix sugar with a little water at a time, until it reaches the consistency of wet sand. In a non-stick pan, caramelize the mixture until amber. Pour onto aluminum foil and sprinkle with nuts. Let cool. Break up into medium size pieces. Assembly: In Champagne glass, layer mousse with pomegranate syrup and brittle until the glass is filled. Finish with a sprinkle of brittle.

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.

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.

POMEGRANTE PINE NUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Grease a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Combine the pomegranate juice, sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, for about 12 minutes, or until the mixture registers 305°F on an instant-read thermometer and is caramel in color. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately (and very carefully) whisk in the pine nuts, salt, and baking soda. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet (the mixture will spread out on its own). Allow the brittle to cool completely; then break into pieces and enjoy. The brittle will keep for several days in an airtight tin if you live in an area with low humidity.

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.