Autumn Brittle. What can I say about this incredible, crunchy, sweet, not too horrible for you candy except, “I love you autumn brittle. You are my new favorite sweetie”.
The cooler weather has been teasing us lately and since Fall is my favorite season, I am totally ready to dive in head first. This candy just screamed Fall to me. With its deep amber color and abundance of ingredients associated with the season. I had to make this.
Typically made with peanuts, this crunchy autumn brittle is loaded with almonds, cashews, healthy pumpkin seeds, delicious dried cranberries and sweetened with sugar and honey.
It is super crunchy and stick to your teeth chewy all at the same time. 100% NOT dentist approved. But, you have to try it, because it’s super nummy, a bit out of the ordinary and kinda fancy. It makes a great gift in clear cello bags with pretty lacy burlap ribbon.
Now, if you’re intimidated by candy-making, don’t let this recipe scare you. Just make sure you use a special candy thermometer. To be sure that it is properly calibrated, place the thermometer in boiling water for several minutes. It should register at 112F. Make note of any differences and plan accordingly. Even a degree or two off can mean the difference between taffy and toffee.
Autumn Brittle
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Almonds
- 1 Cup Cashews
- 3/4 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 2/3 Cup Dried Cranberries
- 2 and 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Honey
- 1 Cup Water
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
Instructions
- Heat the sugars, honey, water and salt in a large pot over a low-medium flame. Use a pot that is larger than you would think necessary because when the mixture begins to boil it will foam up and double in size and you don't want it to boil over.
- Stir every five minutes or so. Using a candy thermometer, continue to heat the mixture until it reaches a temperature of 302F. Have patience! This can take quite some time, even up to an hour to reach that high of a temp. Don't get all freaked out. Don't let it go above that or the sugar can burn.
- While the sugar mixture is boiling, place a sheet of parchment paper on top of a shallow pan, about 9 x 13 inches in width and length, and grease the parchment paper. Set aside. Once the sugar mixture reaches 302, immediately remove it from heat and stir in the butter, cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries until they're coated in the mixture.
- Immediately pour the mixture onto the parchment paper and spread it out into a large rectangle using a rubber spatula. Try to keep the surface relatively even and about 1 inch in height. Place the pan in the refrigerator and allow the brittle to cool for one hour.
- Once it has finished cooling, remove the sheet of brittle from the parchment paper and break the brittle into pieces using a meat tenderizer or clean hammer. You can even drop it on the counter, but that can be messy. Store in a cool dry place.
Notes
Recipe by Adventures in Cooking
*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means I receive a small payment at no additional cost to you if you make a purchase through this link. Thank you for supporting my coffee habit!
