Adding a small amount of baking soda
to the hot mixture right before pouring it out will cause the mixture to
foam up a bit, as the baking soda reacts with the acid from the
caramelization of the sugar. This creates bubbles of carbon dioxide
which helps produce a slightly lighter, more porous texture for the
brittle, making it easier to eat.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1 cup raw sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
Method
1 Put the sugar, honey, salt, nutmeg, and water into a small (1 1/2 quart), thick-bottomed saucepan. Heat on medium heat and stir until a smooth slurry is formed. Stir in the raw sesame seeds.
2 Cook the sesame seed mixture, stirring often, until the mixture turns an amber caramel color, about 5 to 10 minutes. If you have a candy thermometer, the temp should be 300°F. At this point, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and the butter. Once the butter has completely melted into the mixture, stir in the baking soda. The mixture will foam up a bit after you stir in the baking soda, as the baking soda reacts with the acid from the caramelization of the sugar.
3 Pour the mixture out onto a Silpat-lined baking sheet. (If you don't have Silpat, no worries, pour directly onto a metal baking sheet and use a metal spatula to separate brittle from the pan once cooled.) Once completely cooled and hardened (about 15-20 minutes), break into pieces.
Yield:
Makes about 10 ounces of brittle.
Credits go to: Simply Recipes http://www.simplyrecipes.com