Pudding Brittle Recipes

BASIC BRITTLE

Steps:

• Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet withcooking spray. Bring sugar and corn syrup to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming, until sugar dissolves. Cook,swirling occasionally, until mixture just starts to turn golden around edge.
• Stir in mix-ins. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is pale amber, about 8 minutes. Pour onto baking sheet without spreading. Let cool. Break into pieces.

STEAMED PUMPKIN PUDDINGS WITH TENNESSEE RUM HARD SAUCE AND PUMPKIN SEED BRITTLE

Steps:

• To prepare the puddings, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the inside of six 6-ounce heat-proof custard cups or ramekins with the melted butter. Invert the custard cups on a baking sheet and refrigerate until the butter sets.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and coriander.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer), beat the 8 tablespoons butter and the cane sugar on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the yolk and the vanilla, beating well and scraping down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Beat in the pumpkin puree and scrape down the bowl.
• Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk, beating each time only until the batter is smooth.
• Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to carefully divide the batter among the custard cups, taking care to keep the rims clean. Gently tap each cup to remove any air bubbles.
• In a lidded baking dish or Dutch oven large enough to hold the custard cups with at least 1/2 inch of space between them, place a folded kitchen towel (to hold the cups steady). Arrange the custard cups in the dish. Pour enough very hot tap water into the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Cover the baking dish tightly with the lid.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a pudding comes out clean and the top springs back when gently pressed, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the lid and let the puddings cool in the water bath for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the hard sauce. In a medium bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer set to high speed until fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the confectioners' sugar. When the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to high, and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Fold in the nutmeg and rum with a rubber spatula; you should have about 1/2 cup. Use within 1 hour or transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Allow the sauce to come to room temperature before serving.
• The puddings can be served warm or at room temperature. If serving directly in the custard cups, serve at once or let cool on a wire rack. If unmolding, to serve the puddings warm as soon as they come out of the water, run a thin knife around the inside of each ramekin to loosen the puddings, then invert into a serving plate. To serve at room temperature, place the ramekins on a wire rack until the puddings cool before inverting them onto serving plates. Top each serving with about 1 tablespoon of the hard sauce and a large shard of brittle.
• Generously butter a rimmed baking sheet or line it with a silicone baking mat. In a large skillet, cook the pumpkin seeds over medium heat, stirring often, until they are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
• In a large, heavy, deep saucepan, combine the cane sugar, corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, and 2 tablespoons butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a long-handled wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it turns deep amber, 8 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda, vanilla, and salt. The mixture will bubble vigorously and expand in the pan. Immediately stir in the pumpkin seeds and pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a heat-proof spatula to gently but quickly spread the brittle into a thin, even layer.
• Let the brittle cool to room temperature. Run an offset spatula under the brittle to help loosen it, or gently twist the pan. Break the brittle into shards. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Lay out several sheets of foil to spoon the hot peanut brittle onto.
• In a large skillet mix the sugar, syrup, and water together. Cook at a medium-high heat, stirring regularly. Heat until the mixture has a hard ball consistency. Heat to 250 to 265 degrees F (121 to 129 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball. If you don't own a candy thermometer, occasionally hold spoon above mixture, allowing it to drip off spoon. When mixture is at hard ball stage, it will 'hair' off the spoon when falling, looking like a clear spider web.
• Once mixture is at hard ball consistency, add raw peanuts. (They will pop a little.) When mixture starts to turn a light clear-brown, as if it's starting to burn, remove from stove. Add soda and stir. Mixture will foam up.
• Spoon out bite-size pieces onto unbuttered foil, stirring constantly between each couple of pieces. Mixture can also be poured onto unbuttered foil as one big piece and broken into smaller pieces once cooled.

BROWNIE BRITTLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, oil, sugar, water and vanilla. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and, if desired, espresso powder; stir into egg mixture until blended. , Spread into a greased or parchment paper-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Top with chopped nuts if desired. Bake until very firm to the touch, 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Break into pieces. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and oil; stir until smooth. Drizzle over pieces. Let stand until set before cutting.

VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
• Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks, then stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.
• Pour pudding into dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled. Store covered in refrigerator.

GINA'S BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING POTS AND CASHEW BRITTLE

Steps:

• Whisk the first four ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, and cook, stirring, until the sugar has melted into the butter.
• Whisk in the half-and-half mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Strain the pudding into a large measuring cup, and then divide evenly into eight 4-ounce ramekins. Let cool, then chill in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours.
• Serve with Gina's favorite cashew brittle (recipe follows).
• CASHEW BRITTLE
• Line a nonstick sheet pan with parchment or a silicone mat, and set aside.
• Heat the corn syrup, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook until the temperature reaches 310 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Once the mixture reaches 310 degrees F, remove from the stove; quickly add the baking soda, cashews, and butter, and keep stirring constantly. The mixture will stay opaque.
• Carefully pour the hot mixture onto the mat-or parchment-covered sheet pan, and spread across the pan with wooden spoon. Cool for 1 1/2 hours. Break into 2-inch pieces.
• NOTE
• A silicone mat works best to avoid a sticky clean-up; do not use waxed paper, which will melt and stick under the heat of the candy.

QUICK PEANUT BRITTLE

Steps:

• Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Melt the sugar in a medium frying pan over a medium heat for 4-5 mins until caramelised - it should be a dark amber colour. Don't stir, as this causes the sugar to crystallise - instead, tilt the pan slowly so the sugar melts evenly.
• Add the peanuts, stir with a wooden spoon, then quickly and carefully tip onto the prepared tray. Immediately sprinkle over the sea salt flakes and leave to cool until set. Will keep for several weeks in an airtight container.

RICE PUDDING WITH MACADAMIA-MAPLE BRITTLE

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan, bring milk, 3/4 cup sugar, and the butter to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Add rice and cinnamon sticks; return mixture to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla.
• Whisk 1 cup of rice mixture into egg mixture.
• Transfer egg mixture to saucepan with rice mixture, stirring until well combined.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat, discard cinnamon, and transfer to a 2-quart baking dish.
• Let cool at least 20 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Heat broiler.
• In a small bowl, combine maple syrup with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
• Press macadamia nuts into rice pudding, covering the top.
• Drizzle maple syrup mixture evenly over top.
• Broil, 4 inches from heat, until lightly browned-- 2 1/2 to 3 minutes.
• Let cool, spoon into dessert cups, and serve.

PEANUT BRITTLE BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 1-quart casserole with shortening or cooking spray. Place 2 cups of the bread cubes in casserole. Sprinkle with half of the peanut brittle; repeat with remaining bread cubes and peanut brittle.
• In small bowl, beat egg. Stir in milk, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup butter; pour over bread mixture.
• Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, mix all sauce ingredients. Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Serve warm bread pudding with warm sauce and whipped cream. Store sauce covered in refrigerator up to 1 week. Sauce may separate during storage; stir before serving.