Making Caramel for Brittle



A

Adam Schwartz

Guest
The other day I was attempting to make walnut brittle to accompany the maple-walnut bûche de noël in
this month's Gourmet magazine. The recipe instructed me to heat 1 cup of sugar with 1/4 cup water in
a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat until the sugar was cooked. I tried five times, adjusting
the heat level each time, from very very low to pretty high and everything in between, but each
time, the water evaporated well before there was any change in the color of the sugar. With the
lowest heat, it took almost one hour before the water evaporated, but each time the result was the
same. What I ended up with was basically rock-candy. My dad even tried it at his house (he has a
much nicer stove and better pots than I do) and he got the same result. What might I be doing wrong?

Thanks, Adam
 
On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 05:35:09 GMT, "Adam Schwartz"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> The other day I was attempting to make walnut brittle to accompany the maple-walnut bûche de
> noël in this month's Gourmet magazine. The recipe instructed me to heat 1 cup of sugar with
> 1/4 cup water in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat until the sugar was cooked. I tried
> five times,

Don't stir and use a very clean, flat pan free of any defects. You can also try the dry method - no
water at all. This allows faster borwning of the caramel and less tendency for crystalization.

-sw
 
Adam Schwartz wrote:
> The other day I was attempting to make walnut brittle to accompany the maple-walnut bûche de
> noël in this month's Gourmet magazine. The recipe instructed me to heat 1 cup of sugar with
> 1/4 cup water in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat until the sugar was cooked. I tried
> five times, adjusting the heat level each time, from very very low to pretty high and
> everything in between, but each time, the water evaporated well before there was any change in
> the color of the sugar.

Maybe the recipe is wrong. When I make brittle, I always use 1/2 c. light corn syrup, 1/4 tsp. salt
& about 1/4 c. water to 1 c. sugar. You bring it to a boil and then stir until the sugar dissolves.
You should not expect the "caramel" colour at this point. Next you add whatever nuts you want (raw
peanuts, walnuts, almonds). You have to stir this mixture constantly until it reaches 300F; I'm
more comfortable making this with a candy thermometer set in place. Then you add 2 Tbs. softened
butter and 1 tsp. baking soda and stir, stir, stir; this gives the mixture its caramel look. Then
quickly pour out the candy on a buttered baking sheet and spread it with a wooden spoon. It cools
very quickly.

Jill
 
On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 08:22:15 -0600, "jmcquown"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Adam Schwartz wrote:
>> The other day I was attempting to make walnut brittle to accompany the maple-walnut bûche de
>> noël in this month's Gourmet magazine. The recipe instructed me to heat 1 cup of sugar with
>> 1/4 cup water in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat until the sugar was cooked. I
>> tried five times, adjusting the heat level each time, from very very low to pretty high and
>> everything in between, but each time, the water evaporated well before there was any change
>> in the color of the sugar.
>
>Maybe the recipe is wrong. When I make brittle, I always use 1/2 c. light corn syrup, 1/4 tsp. salt
>& about 1/4 c. water to 1 c. sugar. You bring it to a boil and then stir until the sugar dissolves.
>You should not expect the "caramel" colour at this point. Next you add whatever nuts you want (raw
>peanuts, walnuts, almonds). You have to stir this mixture constantly until it reaches 300F; I'm
>more comfortable making this with a candy thermometer set in place. Then you add 2 Tbs. softened
>butter and 1 tsp. baking soda and stir, stir, stir; this gives the mixture its caramel look. Then
>quickly pour out the candy on a buttered baking sheet and spread it with a wooden spoon. It cools
>very quickly.

All of which has absolutely nothing to do with the making of caramel.

Duh.

-sw
 
On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 14:46:24 -0600, Steve Wertz
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
> All of which has absolutely nothing to do with the making of caramel.
>
> Duh.
>
Since when is brittle made with caramel? The OP used the wrong word. It's caramel colored, but it's
not caramel.

So, let's play the blame game: Is the OP wrong for using "caramel" in the header when s\he either
didn't know what to call it or had a brain fart, is Jill wrong for knowing what the OP wanted and
passing on a recipe or are you wrong for jumping in and saying something really stupid?

Practice safe eating - always use condiments
 
"sf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 14:46:24 -0600, Steve Wertz <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >
> > All of which has absolutely nothing to do with the making of caramel.
> >
> > Duh.
> >
> Since when is brittle made with caramel? The OP used the wrong word. It's caramel colored, but
> it's not caramel.
>
> So, let's play the blame game: Is the OP wrong for using "caramel" in the header when s\he either
> didn't know what to call it or had a brain fart, is Jill wrong for knowing what the OP wanted and
> passing on a recipe or are you wrong for jumping in and saying something really stupid?
>
>
>
> Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Here is the recipe. The recipe calls the cooked sugar "caramel" at least twice:

/www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=108923&kw=walnut%2Bbrittle&action=filtersearch&filter=recipe-
filter.hts&collection=Recipes&ResultTemplate=recipe-
results.hts&keyword=walnut%2bbrittle&queryType=and

-Adam
 
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 08:01:22 GMT, "Adam Schwartz"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Here is the recipe. The recipe calls the cooked sugar "caramel" at least twice:
>
> w.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=108923&kw=walnut%2Bbrittle&action=filtersearch&filter=recipe-
> filter.hts&collection=Recipes&ResultTemplate=recipe-
> results.hts&keyword=walnut%2bbrittle&queryType=and
>
> -Adam
>

Easy! Thanks for the URL. That's a keeper!

Practice safe eating - always use condiments
 
On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 05:04:25 GMT, sf <[email protected]> wrote:

>So, let's play the blame game: Is the OP wrong for using "caramel" in the header when s\he either
>didn't know what to call it or had a brain fart, is Jill wrong for knowing what the OP wanted and
>passing on a recipe or are you wrong for jumping in and saying something really stupid?

I figured the OP was asking about caramel. He was using a recipe for caramel, not brittle.

-sw
 
sf wrote:
> On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 14:46:24 -0600, Steve Wertz <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>> All of which has absolutely nothing to do with the making of caramel.
>>
>> Duh.
>>
> Since when is brittle made with caramel? The OP used the wrong word. It's caramel colored, but
> it's not caramel.
>
> So, let's play the blame game: Is the OP wrong for using "caramel" in the header when s\he either
> didn't know what to call it or had a brain fart, is Jill wrong for knowing what the OP wanted and
> passing on a recipe or are you wrong for jumping in and saying something really stupid?
>
>
>
> Practice safe eating - always use condiments

I've been killfiling this Wertz character for a couple of years now. He's really not worthy
of a reply.

Jill
 
Adam Schwartz wrote:
> "sf" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 14:46:24 -0600, Steve Wertz <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> All of which has absolutely nothing to do with the making of caramel.
>>>
>>> Duh.
>>>
>> Since when is brittle made with caramel? The OP used the wrong word. It's caramel colored, but
>> it's not caramel.
>>
>> So, let's play the blame game: Is the OP wrong for using "caramel" in the header when s\he either
>> didn't know what to call it or had a brain fart, is Jill wrong for knowing what the OP wanted and
>> passing on a recipe or are you wrong for jumping in and saying something really stupid?
>>
>>
>>
>> Practice safe eating - always use condiments
>
> Here is the recipe. The recipe calls the cooked sugar "caramel" at least twice:
>
>
/www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=108923&kw=walnut%2Bbrittle&action=filtersearch&filter=recipe-
filter.hts&collection=Recipes&ResultTemplate=recipe-
results.hts&keyword=walnut%2bbrittle&queryType=and
>
> -Adam

But apparently it didn't work for you, after 5 times, did it? So I'd have to really wonder about
the recipe.

Jill
 
On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 06:32:29 -0600, "jmcquown"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I've been killfiling this Wertz character for a couple of years now. He's really not worthy
>of a reply.

Apparently you need a better killfilter.

-sw
 
I use this method and don't use any water. Put the sugar in the pan - very low heat and watch it
carefully. The sugar will turn translucent and pretty soon it sill begin to turn brown. Watch it ver
carefully at this point it can burn.
 
On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 06:32:29 -0600, "jmcquown"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I've been killfiling this Wertz character for a couple of years now. He's really not worthy of
> a reply.
>

I don't kf anyone. IMO: There is no benefit to a kill file in most mainstream ngs.

I read the posters I want to read and skip those I don't. Sometimes I even remove people from my
personal sh*t list, which wouldn't happen if I had kill filed them.

Practice safe eating - always use condiments
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom Back