I firmly believe that when it comes to the world of sweets, salt should be present ninety percent of the time. Salt is a powerful little crystal, it elevates and deepens flavors, it balances sweetness and, combined with sugar, is utterly irresistible.
Crunchy, buttery nuts are cooked and covered in sweet, crisp sugar - brittle is a nothing-can-go-wrong situation.
Peanuts are not exactly my first choice when it comes to nuts. Perhaps that is because peanuts are not actually nuts, but that’s another subject all together. Pistachios, however, have always held my particular regard. Their flavor is buttery and unique and I never get tired of their stunning chartreuse hue.
Pistachios and flaky sea salt take this brittle to the next level. The ratio of salty, to sweet, to crunch is ever-so addicting.
While downloading the pictures for this post I sat at my desk and enjoyed a small piece of brittle. I then walked back out to the kitchen and grabbed two pieces of brittle, and this situation repeated itself a large number of times. It is positively delicious and nearly impossible to walk away from. You have been warned.
Happy Wednesday friends!
Sincerely,
Pedantic Foodie
Salted Pistachio Brittle
recipe adapted from bon appetite
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup unsalted, shelled raw pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- flaky sea salt (I used a Cyprus sea salt, but whatever strikes your fancy will do.)
Liberally grease a nonstick baking sheet with butter; set aside.
In a medium saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup and 3 tablespoons of water - whisk to combine. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the thermometer reads 290 degrees, about 3-5 minutes.
Using a wooden spoon, stir in pistachios, butter, and kosher salt. This will cause the syrup to seize at first but it will melt down. Cook the syrup, stirring often, until the syrup has reaches 300 degrees and the pistachios have browned slightly, about 2-4 minutes. The caramel will be a golden brown. Remove from heat and quickly stir in baking soda. As soon as the baking soda has been stirred into the caramel, pour out onto the greased baking sheet. Use a heat-proof spatula to spread the brittle out.
Before the brittle hardens, sprinkle the top with sea salt. Once the brittle has cooled completely, break the brittle into pieces. Store the brittle at room temperature in an airtight container between sheets of parchment paper, this will keep the brittle from sticking together. Brittle will store for up to a week, but honestly, there is no way it will be around for that long. Enjoy!