My brittle isn't brittle enough...

[ScoopKW]

The title says it all. I make holiday brittle. But past years it's been just a little too chewy.

I bring the candy up to 310F, stir in baking soda, and turn out onto a silpat and then roll thin with a heavy marble roller.

Recipe is:

1 cup light corn syrup, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water -- boil together five minutes. Add 2 cups pecans -- simmer 15 minutes. Add 4 tbl butter, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp salt -- bring to hard crack. Stir in 2 tsp baking soda, immediately turn out and roll flat.

Any shocking errors here?

[Mjx]

Any chance the thermometer needs calibration? Could be the humidity, too, but I'm sure you've thought of that.

[Lisa Shock]

I'd weigh the sugar. Your formula seems ok but a bit heavy on the water, although that just increases your waiting around time. I agree with checking your thermometer, it sounds like undercooked sugar. I always take mine to caramel stage. Here's the formula I teach with, so far no student has ever failed with it:

14 oz Sugar

6 oz Water

10 oz Corn Syrup

2lb Peanuts, blanched

¼ oz Salt

1 oz Butter

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

0.1 oz Baking Powder

[jsmeeker]

humidity probably isn't much of a problem in Las Vegas. The temp sounds right. Have you made it before without issue? I too would suggest checking the thermometer.

[ScoopKW]

I've made it four years in a row. It's always good. But I really want to knock it out of the park this year. I'm good about calibrating thermometers. And humidity isn't an issue here.

But I admit I've been using volume measures -- mainly because it's so hard to find decent recipes by weight, unless it's a production recipe that yields hundreds of pounds.

I'll try taking Lisa's recipe to hard crack and see how that goes.

[jsmeeker]

Could altitude be an issue? McCarran sits at about 2100 feet above sea level. It's nice in flat in the valley, so everyhing there should all be at about the same altitude. Could you take a production reciepe and derive a ratio of sugars to water?

[ScoopKW]

Actually, that might be it. The valley is not flat. It's shaped like a lop-sided bowl. I live on the rim, at about 4,000 feet.

Perhaps I need to adjust my temperature because of that?

[Lisa Shock]

Shouldn't matter. Water boils away at 212°, or less at higher altitudes. At the temps you are going to, the water is long gone.

I having the extra water lengthens the cook time and results in inverting more of the sugar which could be the source of the problem. But, I still suspect the thermometer.

Oh wait, have you recently changed syrup brands? Gone generic to save money?

[ScoopKW]

I've always used store-brand syrup. Is there a difference?

[Lisa Shock]

There might be. There are different grades of corn syrup, the name brand stuff available in supermarkets is pretty good, the maltose and higher oligosaccharide contents vary by grade. Some store brand stuff is name brand with a different label. Some store brand stuff is made by different companies, well, differently. And, it can vary from store to store. There's also the chance that your preferred store's house brand changed their formula.

[jsmeeker]

Actually, that might be it. The valley is not flat. It's shaped like a lop-sided bowl. I live on the rim, at about 4,000 feet.

Perhaps I need to adjust my temperature because of that?

Ahh.. OK.. I guess I just hang out in the flat parts not too far from the airport.

[minas6907]

But I admit I've been using volume measures -- mainly because it's so hard to find decent recipes by weight, unless it's a production recipe that yields hundreds of pounds.

Have you tried any of Grewelings recipes?

[ScoopKW]

I see Mr. Greweling brings his up to 320f. I'll try that next. It was easy enough to find his brittle recipe. And I'm sure it's a far sight better than mine.

[Chocolot]

You are undercooking it or as Lisa suggested, you are inverting too much sugar. Try half that much water, and don't cook to time--just temp. It should be light brown by 300. At altitude, you will actually cook faster as water boils at 204 at 4000 feet. Are you smashing the nuts when you roll them? if so, that might cause a problem.

[jsmeeker]

Tell me more about inverting sugar..

[ScoopKW]

I used Greweling's recipe this afternoon. And with the exception of a small sugar burn on my index finger when turning out the brittle, everything went perfectly. This is far superior to my old recipe.

Three differences: 1) Double the baking soda; 2) Taking the candy to 320f instead of 300-310f; 3) Less water.

The only thing I changed was increasing the butter by half. I like a buttery brittle.

Here's the recipe:

Makes one 10-inch by 15-inch sheet. [i doubled this recipe. No problems.]

1 pound (2 cups) sugar

4 ounces (½ cup) water

12 ounces (1 cup) light corn syrup

1 pound (3 cups) unsalted blanched raw whole peanuts

1 teaspoon salt

1 ounce (2 tablespoons) butter, unsalted, soft

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ teaspoons baking soda

Lightly oil a 10-inch by 15-inch sheet pan or line it with parchment paper. Lightly oil an offset palette knife. [i skipped this step and turned the brittle out onto a Silpat. Then I covered the candy with parchment and rolled it out with a marble roller. When the candy cooled, it was easy to remove the parchment.]

Combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula. Cover and boil for 4 minutes.

Remove the cover, insert a thermometer, and cook without stirring to 240°F.

Add the peanuts and cook while stirring to 320°F or until the batch is light brown.

Remove from the heat; mix in the salt, butter, vanilla and baking soda thoroughly.

Pour onto the prepared pan and spread to the edges using the oiled palette knife.

Allow to cool to room temperature. Break into the desired size pieces. Store sealed in an airtight container.

For Cocoa Nib Brittle: Replace the peanuts with 4 ounces/1 cup cocoa nibs.

For Pecan Brittle: Replace the peanuts with an equal amount of coarsely chopped pecans.

For Sesame Brittle: Replace the peanuts with 8 ounces/1½ cups sesame seeds.

[mostlylana]

You are undercooking it or as Lisa suggested, you are inverting too much sugar.

I'm intrigued with the 'inverting too much sugar' explanation. It makes so much sense. I'm wondering about making brittle in a copper pot. Doesn't the acidity of a copper pot, like adding lemon juice to a stainless steel pot, cause more sugar to invert? I'm thinking that making brittle in a copper pot wouldn't be the best idea then...

[Lisa Shock]

I'd avoid using a solid copper pot, where copper touches the food. Too many variables and risk.

Acids and cooking sugar causes changes in it and a portion of it inverts when brought to about 236°F. (corn syrup is acidic) Having more water in your mix can cause the sugar to 'hang' near that temperature for a long time allowing more of the sugar crystals to undergo conversion to invert sugar. (I have also seen problems with trying to use a tall, narrow pot in a very cold room.) Next time you make candy, take notes about how long it takes to move from each ten degree increment of temperature over 200°. You'd think it would stall around 212° because of the boiling temp of water, but, it's a bit higher because of the hygroscopic characteristics of sugar. And, that time when the temperature increases appear to stall is right in the temperature zone where inversion happens.

Corn syrup itself contains invert sugars. They are what makes good hard candies glassy; smooth, clear, and, shiny. However, too much invert sugar in some recipes and you don't get enough structure, it will be too syrupy/sticky.

[Darienne]

I'd avoid using a solid copper pot, where copper touches the food. Too many variables and risk.

Acids and cooking sugar causes changes in it and a portion of it inverts when brought to about 236°F. (corn syrup is acidic) Having more water in your mix can cause the sugar to 'hang' near that temperature for a long time allowing more of the sugar crystals to undergo conversion to invert sugar. (I have also seen problems with trying to use a tall, narrow pot in a very cold room.) Next time you make candy, take notes about how long it takes to move from each ten degree increment of temperature over 200°. You'd think it would stall around 212° because of the boiling temp of water, but, it's a bit higher because of the hygroscopic characteristics of sugar. And, that time when the temperature increases appear to stall is right in the temperature zone where inversion happens.

Corn syrup itself contains invert sugars. They are what makes good hard candies glassy; smooth, clear, and, shiny. However, too much invert sugar in some recipes and you don't get enough structure, it will be too syrupy/sticky.

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Thank you so much. A terrific explanation for those problems which have occurred to probably every brittle/toffee maker. And so timely for me. (And others.) Thanks, Lisa

[mostlylana]

I'd avoid using a solid copper pot, where copper touches the food. Too many variables and risk.

Acids and cooking sugar causes changes in it and a portion of it inverts when brought to about 236°F. (corn syrup is acidic) Having more water in your mix can cause the sugar to 'hang' near that temperature for a long time allowing more of the sugar crystals to undergo conversion to invert sugar. (I have also seen problems with trying to use a tall, narrow pot in a very cold room.) Next time you make candy, take notes about how long it takes to move from each ten degree increment of temperature over 200°. You'd think it would stall around 212° because of the boiling temp of water, but, it's a bit higher because of the hygroscopic characteristics of sugar. And, that time when the temperature increases appear to stall is right in the temperature zone where inversion happens.

Corn syrup itself contains invert sugars. They are what makes good hard candies glassy; smooth, clear, and, shiny. However, too much invert sugar in some recipes and you don't get enough structure, it will be too syrupy/sticky.

Fascinating Lisa! I've been reading about traditional 'soft brittle' which isn't really soft but rather flaky and airy. Apparently it's much easier on the teeth The way they do this is by adding more soda to a more acidic mixture. I guess in this case, copper would be ideal. The science of sugar is so cool!

[rooftop1000]

the moment I saw the sesame variation in the recipe above I knew I had to try it. I love love love crunchy sesame candy.

So, no clue, no candy thermometer, and no experience....

It came out perfect.

I guess it helped to start out with untoasted sesame seeds so I could really tell when it was browned/cooked enough

This is awsome LOL

tracey

Edited December 10, 2011 by rooftop1000 (log)

[Lisa Shock]

Those sesame candies look delicious! Sesame candy is one of my all-time favorites, I am going to have to try this...