from Bacon, Butter, Bourbon & Chocolate Cookbook
Crunchy, chewy and salty, this brittle recipe is a perfect mashup of texture and sweet and savoury flavours. It’s the perfect snack to enjoy with red wine, or you can chop the brittle into smaller pieces to sprinkle on top of vanilla, coffee or chocolate ice cream
Ingredients
¼ cup (60 mL) whipping cream
¼ cup (60 mL) water
¼ cup (60 mL) honey
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
¼ cup (60 mL) light brown sugar
½ cup (125 mL) softened unsalted butter
½ cup (125 mL) crispy bacon bits
1 cup (250 mL) chopped cashews
¼ cup (60 mL) toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
¼ tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, combine the whipping cream, water, honey, vanilla and both sugars. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a temperature of 255°F (125°C). Remove from heat and whisk in the butter.
Return pan to the stove and bring the mixture to a boil while continuously stirring until the mixture reaches 290°F (145°C). Remove from heat and stir in the bacon, cashews, sesame seeds and baking soda. Let it sit for 2 minutes until no longer foaming.
Spread the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking tray in a thin layer and place on a cooling rack. Once cooled, snap brittle into 1½-inch (4 cm) triangles and store in an airtight container in a cool place up to 1 month.
Makes 36 pieces
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: Change up the nuts for different flavour profiles or add a little hot sauce to the syrup. Little surprises will make a lasting impression on all who taste these morsels!
Recipe and photograph reprinted with permission from The Bacon Butter, Bourbon & Chocolate Cookbook by Bruno Feldeisen, published by Whitecap Books, © 2024. Photography by Henry M Wu. https://www.whitecap.ca/Detail/1770503331
