butter pecan and pumpkin seed brittle

okay...calm down...take a few breaths and repeat after me, " you can do this"!  say it a few times and pour a glass of wine or whiskey and really get cozy to the idea of making brittle.  i finally did it. so can you.  if you have a candy thermometer, it's go time.  guess what, i thrifted mine, brand new for 25 cents.  let's do this!

brittle is so good on it's own or crushed up on ice cream.  hello!  delish.  this recipe makes 2 pounds, so there is enough to go around. yu-umm.

i adapted this recipe from Ted Allen's cook book, In My Kitchen, which is one of my faves.  for reals... i have a huuuge crush on him and want to invite him over to my crib for a dinner party. making his brittle was kind of a way to...uh... ehem...err... have a reason to send him fan mail.  just kidding. but kind of not.   think i will.  

anyway, Ted's recipe calls for corn syrup, which i am totes not down with (the #1 reason i haven't made fancy cute time marshmallows yet, which are, in fact, why i purchased a candy thermometer in the first place) so i decided to go a bit cray cray and use brown rice syrup.  i was thinking i could try agave syrup and it might be a closer fit, as far as a substitute, but didn't have enough...you may try to sub agave...tell me how it goes.  i am going to try marshmallows with it. i will share.  obvz.   however, the brown rice syrup made such yummers brittle, i dunno if i would switch it up again.  

ingredients:

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (plus more for baking sheets)
3 cups pecans (i did 2 cups pecans and 1 cup pumpkin seeds)
2 cups sugar (yup, i went white sugar on this one)
1 cup brown rice syrup (or agave syrup)
3 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (i used our homemade rum vanilla extract)
3/4 tsp  flaky salt (cyprus or maldon sea salt is the best here)

1. position rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 350F. 
2. spread pecans and pumpkin seeds, if using, on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes.
   

3.   measure out and have ready your butter, baking soda, and vanilla.

4.   butter 3 baking sheets and set aside. 

5.   combine brown rice syrup, sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear'ish.  use a pastry brush dipped in water or silicon spatula to brush/wash any remaining sugar crystals down the sides of the sauce pan.  stick a candy thermometer into the pot, increase the heat to medium high and cook without stirring until mixture thickens and the thermometer reads 230F. 

6.   add the pecans, pumpkin seeds and butter, and stirring constantly, cook until the temp reaches 305F.  remove from heat, and quickly stir in baking soda and vanilla.  be super careful, as the mixture might sputter and foam.

7.   pour the mixture in 3 equal portions onto the buttered baking sheets.   butter the back of a wooden spoon or the spatula you are using, and use it to spread mixture out as thinly as possible. sprinkle the sea salt over the brittle.  allow to cool and then break into pieces.  store it in an air tight container for up to a month.  ha.  as if you will have it for that long.