Spicy Nut Brittle Recipes

FALL SALAD WITH SPICY BRITTLE

Steps:

• For the spicy brittle: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Heat the sugar, corn syrup, butter and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the sugar has melted. Stop stirring and continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally to ensure it cooks evenly, until the mixture reaches 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. While this is cooking, combine the chili powder, cumin, and cayenne in a small bowl.
• Carefully, but moving quickly, stir the almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios and spice mixture into the sugar syrup until the nuts are coated. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading it out as evenly as possible using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle over the sea salt. Allow to cool completely, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When cool, break into shards.
• For the salad: Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the skillet.
• When ready to serve, arrange the salad on a large platter in layers: escarole, radicchio, carrots, apples, onion, raisins and bacon.
• Heat the skillet with the bacon fat over medium heat. Add the vinaigrette, mustard and honey and cook, stirring, until warm. Pour the dressing over the salad. Arrange the spicy brittle shards over the top. Serve immediately.

SPICY PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
• Also spray a metal spatula (and yes it matters, goo will stick to all others and make it impossible to work with)
• set aside cookie sheet and spatula.
• In a large bowl, mix the peanuts, hot pepper sauce and allspice
• Put sugar and corn syrup into a large glass microwavable bowl.
• Stir mixture - will be very thick but will change when heated.
• Microwave, uncovered on high for 4 minutes.
• stir again.
• add in spicy peanut mixture.
• stir until blended.
• Return to microwave and cook on high 4-5 minutes longer.
• Stir in butter.
• Microwave 45 seconds.
• Very quickly add in baking soda and vanilla and stir. It will foam and the color witl lighten.
• Immediately pour into prepared pan and spread as thin as possible with prepared spatula.
• Cool, break into pieces (put in bag and use hammer to smash is easiest).

SPICED RUM-NUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Grease a 15x10x1-in. pan; set aside. , In a 2-qt. microwave-safe bowl, combine sugar and corn syrup. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 3 minutes; stir. Microwave 2-1/2 minutes longer. Stir in the cashews, pecans, butter, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and nutmeg. , Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes or until mixture turns a light amber color (mixture will be very hot). Quickly stir in baking soda and extracts until light and foamy. Immediately pour into prepared pan; spread with a metal spatula. Cool completely. Break into pieces; store in an airtight container.

GAYLE'S SPICY PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• In a large heavy pan combine: sugar, Karo Syrup and water.
• Boil this mixture until it reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Then add raw peanuts. 1/4 tsp salt. Continue to cook, stirring frequently.
• Continue cooking and stirring until thermometer reaches 290 degrees - hard crack - remove from the burner and add: vanilla and butter.
• Quickly stir together and add: baking soda and cayenne.
• Mix well and, working quickly, pour onto buttered cookie sheet. Use two if you want it super thin. Spread quickly and let cool.
• Break into pieces and store in airtight tin or canister.
• Gnote: I have doubled this recipe but mostly I make a batch and a half as it fits in the pan better when boiling up.
• I have made this with cashews and other nuts, too. Good stuff and not hard on the teeth!