Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 tsp. fine grained sea salt
- 3/4 cup (4 oz.) hulled spicy roasted pumpkin seeds “pepitas”
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes and/or 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
Preparation:
Stir together baking soda and melted butter; set aside. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside a second sheet the same size. Butter parchment on one side.Combine sugar, water and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan; bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; wash down any sugar crystals on sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Simmer syrup 10 to 12 minutes, until it reaches 240°F. Remove from heat; with a wooden spoon, add pumpkin seeds and pepper, if desired.
While stirring, return pan to medium-low heat; melt again until mixture turns amber brown and reaches 290°F.* Remove from heat; stir in butter-baking soda mixture with wooden spoon.
Pour mixture onto prepared cookie sheet; cover with second parchment sheet. Press the mixture with a rolling pin to 1/4-inch thick. Remove top layer of parchment; cool completely; crack brittle.
Store brittle between layers of parchment in a sealed container for up to two weeks.
*If the syrup becomes granular during cooking, continue to cook until it remelts.
