Cast Iron

Not Your AverageĀ Brittle...Pecans!

by:
November  8, 2010
4.5
2 Ratings
  • Serves As Many or As Few People as You Like
Author Notes

In 2009, my YouthBuild students in Greensboro, Alabama were given a challenge to develop a product that would utilize a local ingredient. They came up with pecans! It started small with a few students making pecan brittle in the back of our small Pie Lab (www.pielab.org) and is now a full blown small business thanks to a Design Ignites Change grant we were awarded. Now the business even has a website (www.the-pecans.com)! *YouthBuild is a non-profit organization that serves out-of-school youth ages 16 - 24 through GED courses, job training and leadership development skills. Following the completion of the program, YB students are offered assistance in job and college placement. —Table9

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Ingredients
  • 2 cups Granulated Sugar
  • 1 cup Light Corn Syrup
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/8 teaspoon Table Salt
  • 2 cups Chopped Pecans
  • 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
Directions
  1. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.
  2. Combine Sugar, Light Corn Syrup, Water and Salt in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron works best if you have it). Bring to rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add chopped pecans; continue cooking until the syrup begins to turn brown. Depending on how hot your eye gets, this usually takes about 20 - 25 minutes to get the desired consistency. *Be sure to constantly stir the mixture so it does not stick
  3. Do not over or under cook it because the brittle will be ruined.In order to test consistency put a drop of the brittle mixture into cold water, if it hardens immediately it is done.
  4. Remove from heat once you have the desired consistency, and stir in Unsalted Butter and Baking Soda.
  5. Pour onto prepared baking sheet. Cool completely before breaking it up into pieces.

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3 Reviews

Sagegreen December 21, 2010
These will make great post New Year's gifts for some folks! Love your project. Can't wait for my order to arrive.
Table9 November 9, 2010
Yes. The students were instructed to sketch out ideas for the labels for the brittle. They also started making pecan butter, like peanut butter but with pecans.
luvcookbooks November 9, 2010
This is the greatest!! Is the bulletin board from tallying the votes?