Love in the Kitchen - making fast, healthy, homegrown meals you'll enjoy

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Ghost Pepper Almond Brittle


We're growing ghost peppers again this summer.  The first of the traditionally-planted peppers are just starting to ripen (the hydroponics will be a few more weeks, but we're going to have hundreds of them) and I wanted to do something sweet with them.  So I took the ghosts (along with a few Scotch Bonnets) and used them instead of jalapenos in my jalapeno peanut brittle recipe.  And wow was it delicious!



Ghost Pepper Almond Brittle

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 pound almonds and pecans
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped hot peppers {I used ghost and Scotch Bonnets - if you can't find them , habaneros have a similar flavor profile and make a good substitute}


Directions:

Heat oven to 200ºF. Butter 2 cookie sheets, 15 1/2x12 inches, and keep warm in oven. This is going to help you spread the brittle on the sheet thinly before it hardens.

Mix baking soda, 1 teaspoon water and the vanilla, and set aside

Finely chop the peppers and set aside.





Mix sugar, 1 cup water and the corn syrup in 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, to 240ºF on candy thermometer or until small amount of syrup dropped into very cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water.





Stir in butter and peanuts. Cook, stirring constantly, to 300ºF or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard, brittle threads. (Watch carefully so mixture does not burn.)  {What is happening here - as the sugar syrup is cooked, water boils away, the sugar concentration increases, and the temperature rises.  At 300ºF, there is almost no water left in the syrup.  And when it cools, it will be hard and brittle.}

Immediately remove from heat. Quickly stir in the chopped peppers, baking soda mixture until light and foamy.

Pour half the candy mixture onto each cookie sheet; quickly spread about 1/4 inch thick.



Cool completely, at least 1 hour. Break into pieces. Store in an airtight container and do not refrigerate.


This was just fantastic.  Tastes sweet and salty, and the heat comes out towards the end of the bite.  It's super addicting - though it has some heat, it is not overwhelming and leaves you wanting another piece.  If you like spicy things at all, this is a recipe you need to try!



zentMRS - Love in the Kitchen
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3 comments:

  1. That sounds awesome! Gonna give that a try!

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