Holiday Almond Brittle Recipes

ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Spread the oil over a baking sheet. Spread almonds evenly over the surface of the sheet. In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, stir the sugar and cream of tartar into the water over low heat until dissolved. When the sugar is dissolved, increase the heat to medium and stop stirring. Bring to a boil and allow temperature, as measured with a candy thermometer, to 300 degrees F (hard crack stage). Immediately pour the syrup over the almonds and allow to cool and harden completely. Break into pieces to serve.

ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat; add almonds, sugar, and syrup. Cook and stir the almonds until the mixture turns caramel in color, about 6 minutes.
• Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in a thin layer. Cool until the mixture hardens and break into pieces to serve.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Butter a large baking sheet and a metal spatula.
• In a heavy 5-6 quart saucepan combine water, sugar, and corn syrup and bring to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until it registers 310°F. on a candy thermometer.
• Remove pan from heat (syrup will be very hot). Carefully add baking soda and salt and, working quickly, stir until syrup foams and thickens. Stir in almonds and pour mixture onto prepare baking sheet, spreading with prepared spatula.
• Cool brittle 5 minutes and sprinkle chocolate evenly over it. Let chocolate melt, about 5 minutes, and spread it with a clean spatula. Chill brittle on baking sheet until chocolate hardens. Loosen brittle with a clean spatula from baking sheet and, holding brittle underneath with palms of hands to avoid smearing chocolate, drop from height of a few inches onto work surface to break into pieces. Transfer brittle, separating it with layers of wax paper, to airtight container. Brittle keeps, covered and chilled, 2 weeks.

SPICED ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a 15x10x1-in. pan with parchment. (Do not spray or grease.), In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, wash down the sides of the pan to eliminate sugar crystals. Cook, without stirring, over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 260° (hard-ball stage). , Stir in almonds, butter and seasonings; cook until thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage), stirring frequently, about 8 minutes longer., Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. (Mixture will foam.) Immediately pour onto prepared pan, spreading as thin as possible. Cool completely., Break brittle into pieces. Store between layers of waxed paper in airtight containers.

PERSIAN ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment; set aside. Dissolve saffron in rose water; set aside. Fill a bowl with ice water; set aside.
• Place sugar, honey, and oil in a heavy medium saucepan over high heat, and stir constantly until sugar is melted.
• Stir in the almonds, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened and is golden, about 2 minutes.
• Add the saffron mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden brown. Drop a spoonful of the mixture into the ice water. If it hardens immediately, the mixture is ready. Reduce heat to the lowest setting.
• Quickly drop mixture by tablespoons onto the paper, leaving a 1-inch space between. Sprinkle immediately with the chopped pistachios. Cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container.

ALMOND CRANBERRY BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line baking sheets with aluminum foil.
• Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in butter; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick and syrupy and a candy thermometer inserted into the center of the syrup, not touching the bottom, reads 230 degrees F (110 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes.
• Mix almonds and cranberries into the sugar mixture; cook and stir until temperature reaches soft-crack stage at 280 degrees F (138 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes. Stir constantly until mixture reaches hard-crack stage at 305 degrees F (152 degrees C), 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Quickly stir baking soda into brittle mixture until fully incorporated. Pour brittle onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Stretch candy out by lifting and pulling from the edges using forks as the candy cools. Cool completely before breaking into pieces.

SALTED ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• Lightly butter a lipped baking tray and spread the almonds over it in a thin, even layer. Put the sugar, butter, salt and 4 tbsp water into a smooth-bottomed frying pan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil for about 5 mins, or until it starts to turn light golden brown. Stir every now and again as some patches will start to caramelise faster than others. Carefully tip the caramel over the nuts and leave to cool completely.
• Once cold, shatter the caramel. An easy way to get clean sharp pieces is to put the point of a sharp knife vertically onto the caramel and bash the handle with a rolling pin, like a hammer and chisel. Serve on top of the Chocolate amaretti puddings. Keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container, interleaved with non-stick paper, in a cool, dry place (not the fridge).

HOLIDAY ALMOND BRITTLE

Steps:

• In a heavy skillet, heat the sugar over low heat until it has melted and is slightly browned, making sure it doesn't burn.
• Add the honey and butter; simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the nuts and cook for 10 minutes.
• Line a platter or pan with wax paper and drop tablespoonfuls of the brittle onto the paper.
• Let it harden, break into pieces and serve.