| Re: Wow, that was good oatmeal with a peanut brittle recipe added by Jill Delgado - CLICK HERE for the Cooking Forum Index |
| Wayne Boatwright |
On Mon 24 Jan 2005 06:16:52a, Margaret Suran wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> I do not have an 8 cup measuring cup (if I did, I would not have room
> for it in my tiny kitchen), I do not have a microwave and I don't like
> peanuts. I also have to watch my sodium intake, so salted nuts are out.
>
> However, I do like nut brittle and may attempt to make some
> with either pecans or hazelnuts. Will it work? Why does the peanut
> brittle recipe have to be mixed in this particular container? At what
> temperature should I bake it and for how long?
>
> Thank you, M
Margaret, I have eaten pecan brittle and it's delicious. I see no reason
why you couldn't also use hazelnuts.
The bad news is, you cannot bake nut brittles in a conventional oven
because the required temperatures cannot be attained. However, you can
make them in a saucepan on the stove top. It's a little more time
consuming and you should probably also use a candy thermometer for
consistency.
If you're interested, I can send you recipes from a candy cookbook I have.
Cheers,
Wayne
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| Scott |
In article <ct2sg405f1@news4.newsguy.com>,
Margaret Suran <margaret@no.spam.for.me.invalid> wrote:
> I do not have an 8 cup measuring cup (if I did, I would not have room
> for it in my tiny kitchen), I do not have a microwave and I don't like
> peanuts. I also have to watch my sodium intake, so salted nuts are out.
>
> However, I do like nut brittle and may attempt to make some
> with either pecans or hazelnuts. Will it work? Why does the peanut
> brittle recipe have to be mixed in this particular container? At what
> temperature should I bake it and for how long?
Margaret,
Virtually any nut or nutlike product (for those who'll point out that
peanuts, pecans, etc., aren't nuts) can be substituted in equal
volumes--unsalted as well. Roasted, unsalted, mixed nuts work nicely;
almonds or black walnuts are my favorites. You can even do seeds (e.g.,
pumpkin or sesame). I've only done seed brittles on the stove (not
microwave); I put the seeds in later than I would nuts, since they're
small enough to burn very easily. I once made a sesame-peanut brittle,
substituting raw sesame seeds for about 1/3 of the peanuts and adding
them right near the end.
You definitely *cannot* make brittle in the oven; the sugar syrup needs
to be cooked to 290 to 300 degrees F, and I can't imagine how long an
oven would take to get it there, or even if it could get there at all. A
heavy-bottomed, deep saucepan is the way to go.
Definitely get a candy thermometer if you don't have one; they're
indispensable for candy making (yes, there's the cold-water test method,
but a thermometer is far, far easier and more accurate). Places like
Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond should have them for about $10. Digital
models are more expensive and harder to find, but easier to use.
It helps if you pre-warm the seeds or nuts in an oven on a baking sheet,
on as low as setting as the oven can get. You just want to warm the nuts
enough that they don't drop the temperature of your syrup as much. This
is purely optional: it'll just shorten the process (if you warm the nuts
while the syrup is cooking)
Note that Jill's recipe calls for adding baking soda. If you're
concerned about sodium you can leave this out. When you add the baking
soda, the brittle foams up, which makes the candy easier to bite into
(I'm not sure if it's an acid/base reaction--NaHCO3 melts with
decomposition at about 50degC and may therefore create the foam--though
The Handbook of Chemistry and Physics gives the pH of corn as 6.0-6.5,
so corn syrup is also probably slightly acidic). I've made it both ways,
but I'd have to give a nod to making it with the baking soda as having
the better texture.
Here's a recipe for pecan brittle and one for the multinut brittle:
RECIPE: Pecan Brittle
SOURCE: Rusty Nejdl
CATEGORIES: Candy
MAKES: 20
INGREDIENTS:
2 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup water
2 cup pecans, raw
2 teasp vanilla
1 1/2 teasp baking soda
1/4 teasp salt (optional)
3 tbsp butter
METHOD:
Add sugar, corn syrup, and water to a medium sauce pan. Heat under
medium heat, stirring vigorously to soft ball (234-240 degrees).
Add pecans and salt. Continue heating until hard crack stage (300
degrees). Stir the entire time or else the brittle will burn.
Remove from heat. Add butter, vanilla, and baking soda.
Pour onto a greased pan with sides. Let cool for about 30 minutes to an
hour. Break into pieces and enjoy.
RECIPE: Multinut Brittle
CATEGORIES: Candy
MAKES: 20
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup
12 oz mixed nuts
3 tbsp butter
1 teasp vanilla extract
1 1/2 teasp baking soda
METHOD:
Generously butter a cookie sheet. In a large saucepan over high heat,
cook sugar, water, and corn syrup until mixture reaches 280 F on a candy
thermometer. Slowly add nuts and cook, stirring, until temperature
reaches 300 F. Turn off heat. Carefully stir in butter and vanilla until
blended. Add baking soda and stir vigorously but cautiously. Pour
mixture onto prepared cookie sheet and spread as thin as possible with
wooden spoon. Cool completely. Break cooled candy into pieces. Store in
an airtight container. Makes about 2 pounds.
--
to respond (OT only), change "spamless.invalid" to "optonline.net"
<http://www.thecoffeefaq.com/>
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| Wayne Boatwright |
On Mon 24 Jan 2005 04:39:20p, Margaret Suran wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
> Scott wrote:
>> In article <ct2sg405f1@news4.newsguy.com>,
>> Margaret Suran <margaret@no.spam.for.me.invalid> wrote:
>
> *posts and recipes snipped*
>
> Thank you all for your help and for the recipes from Scott. For the
> time being I will save your advice and the recipes and try them at
> some later time. I will use pecans, almonds and hazelnuts, dry
> roasted but not salted.
>
> Margaret
Sounds like a plan, Margaret! I really loved the pecan brittle I've had.
Let us know how it turns out when you get around to making it.
Wayne
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