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Pumpkin
Seed Brittle: Butter a large baking sheet.
Place the raw
and shelled pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) oven
for about 4-5 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
Have ready the
baking soda, vanilla extract, and butter.
In a medium
sized saucepan over medium high heat, bring the water, corn syrup, sugar, and
salt to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula.
Cover the saucepan with a lid for about one minute to allow the sides of the pan
to wash themselves down and dissolve any sugar crystals. Then remove lid and
clamp a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure it does not touch
the bottom of the pan. Cook until the syrup reaches soft crack stage (280-285
degrees F) (140 degrees C). Stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds and continue
cooking the sugar syrup, stirring often to prevent the pumpkin seeds from
sticking to the bottom of the saucepan, until the the candy thermometer reaches
hard crack stage (300
degrees F) (149 degrees C).
Remove from
heat and immediately, and carefully, stir in the baking soda, vanilla extract, and butter (the brittle will
puff up) stirring until the foaming almost stops. Immediately pour the brittle,
as thinly as possible (but do not spread), onto
the buttered baking sheet. If you want a thin brittle, then while
the brittle is still very hot, use two forks to stretch the brittle until you
get the brittle to how thin you want it. Do this by gently pulling the edges of
the brittle, working your way around the entire mass. Let the brittle completely
cool and then break into pieces. Store in an airtight container or a plastic
freezer bag as this will prevent the brittle from becoming sticky and breaking
down. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Makes about 1 1/2
pounds. Preparation time 1 hour.
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