Roasted Cashew Sea Salt Brittle

When I was younger one of my favourite traditions was making peanut brittle with my dad around Christmas. Yes, I know: It's January- why are we talking about Christmas? Well, today I had the treat of spending some time with my dad and we resumed our tradition despite the lack of Christmas in the air. Plus, who doesn't need another excuse to make one of the most simple and versatile confectionaries?

Now, this recipe is not my own. It's an altered version from my favourite go-to childhood cookbook from the Met Church in Ottawa. Those pages are filled with basic recipes that for me, turned baking into something manageable, exciting and honestly, were the start of my love of this field!

Now what is brittle exactly? 

noun

a confection of melted sugar, usually with nuts, brittle when cooled. 

Melted sugar? That's it? The key to crisp but easily broken brittle is the addition of baking soda near the end of the preparation process:

 

"As the sugar is cooking and begins turning amber in color it accumulates small amounts of acid, and that acid reacts chemically with the alkaline baking soda releasing about a zillion minuscule bubbles of CO2 that get trapped, making the sugar porous and, well…brittle.

Adding the baking soda at the end is important because you need to wait for enough acid to accumulate, and the candy needs to be poured out onto the prepared pan to set up as soon as the chemical reaction occurs. Aeration of the sugar will cause the clear, glassy syrup to turn opaque immediately, and it will increase in volume—so be sure to use a saucepan large enough for the job." (click here for source) 

Chemistry and cooking, so interesting!! That's the nerd in me buried oh so not deep. 

Fun facts about (peanut) brittle?

1. January 26 is national peanut brittle day (USA)

2. There are some weird and wonderful legends about how it was invented (here). Mistake? Save a village? Who knows.

3. peanut brittle was the original recipe but there is now a wideeeee variety of this candy

Cookin Tunes:
Castle on the Hill [Ed Sheeran]
Red Sea Road [Ellie Holcomb]
Train Wreck [James Arthur]

Roasted Cashew Sea Salt Brittle

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup water

1.5 cups unsalted butter

2 cups roasted cashews

1 tsp baking soda

coarse sea salt (to taste)

1. Line 2 pans with parchment paper or grease pans with butter.

2. In a large pan add together sugar (brown and white), corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil.

3. Add butter and keep stirring (so it doesn't burn!) until the mixture reaches 280F (soft crack stage).

4. Add the cashews and continue stirring until the mixture reaches 300F (hard crack stage).

5. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. The mixture will become opaque and increase in volume. 

5. Pour onto lined baking sheets and spread evenly.

6. Sprinkle sea salt over top. Let cool.

7. Eat that stuff- it's so good!