Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Sandbar, Cold Spring Harbor, NY; and Mirabelle and Mirabelle Tavern, Stony Brook, NY
This recipe makes a beautiful brittle that tastes as good as it looks. You can omit the cumin, but you'll lose the slight smoky note that provides an ideal contrast to the sugar. Chef Guy Reuge served the brittle at the Beard House as one of the mignardises, alongside macarons and candied orange peel.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 3/4 cups shelled pumpkin seeds, also know as pepitas
Method
Generously grease a cookie sheet or cover it with a silicone mat. Set aside.
Combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and water in a medium pot. Stir the sugar with your fingers to moisten so that no lumps remain. Cook the mixture over medium heat until it caramelizes, about 15 minutes. It's done when it's medium brown; be careful not to let it burn, which can happen in the blink of an eye.
Take the pot off the burner and immediately whisk in the salt, baking soda, and cumin. Quickly add the pumpkin seeds and stir until they are coated with the liquid caramel. If the mixture hardens too fast to allow you to stir in the seeds, return the pot to the heat for several seconds. Working quickly, pour the mixture on the baking sheet you prepared earlier and spread it with a rolling pin to about 1/4-inch thickness.
When the brittle has cooled and hardened, break it into pieces. Store it in an airtight container.
Yield
1 1/2 pounds
