This recipe uses crushed red pepper flakes to bring some heat to the brittle candy. It is adapted from The Ultimate Candy Book by Bruce Weinstein. I like it because the generous amount of butter really smooths out the heat and sweet. Use pecan halves to keep the candy clear (dust from chopped pecans can cloud the candy).

Spiced Pecan Butter Brittle

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing the baking sheet
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 heaping cup pecan halves
• Up to 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

Procedure

1. Butter a large baking sheet or marble work surface.
2. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and salt in a heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to boiling and without further stirring, cook until 290 degrees F. Immediately remove from heat and add in the butter, vanilla, pecan halves and crushed red pepper flakes - the fumes may be strong so make sure your work area is well ventilated. Pour the hot candy onto the buttered work surface as thinly as possibible poured directly from the pan, but do not spread the candy out with a spoon. After a few minutes, run a long buttered spatula under the candy to ensure it's not sticking.
3. While the candy is still hot (but cool enough to handle with burning) start pulling the brittle candy by stretching from the edges. Pull the candy thin enough to keep the nuts in a single later. Two buttered forks may also be used. As it cools, it hardens, and once it begins to harden enough to break, stop pulling and let cool. Then break of pieces and store in an airtight container.

Notes

Adapted from: Weinstein, Bruce. The Ultimate Candy Book.. New York: William Morrow, 2000.

Content by Renee Shelton. This recipe was first published on PastrySampler.com on October 8, 2020.