Cake, Batter, and Bowl

Honey Sesame Cashew Brittle

Desserts

Honey Sesame Cashew Brittle

Honey Sesame Cashew Brittle

I think I inherited my love of peanut brittle from my grandpa. My brother and I always gave him a few boxes of brittle for Christmas when we were growing up and I can’t see peanut brittle and not think of him! Whenever I’m in a gourmet candy shop I may peruse the bonbons, but I inevitably end up skipping over the chocolate and buying a box of homemade peanut brittle. I just love the stuff.

This was actually my first time making brittle, because I only recently got a candy thermometer. It was one of the many kitchen items (along with confetti mixing bowls made from recycled plastic, a cupcake decorating set, new measuring cups and spoons, and tons of Tone’s spices which are packaged in Iowa and SO cheap there) that made it into my suitcase on my way home from Des Moines last month. I had to borrow a backpack from my parents and check my original bag since I didn’t have enough room in it for all my new purchases (cute new shoes may or may not have also been involved…). Sigh, I have no self control!

I decided to do a twist on my mom’s traditional brittle and used cashews instead of peanuts.  I also added a touch of honey and topped the brittle with sesame seeds. This flavor combo was inspired by the yummy sesame and honey covered cashews I like to munch on at work from Trader Joe’s. I used too much honey in the first batch, which overpowered the candy and caused it to be too sticky, but this second batch turned out perfectly.  Yay for finally being able to make brittle whevever I crave it!

Honey Sesame Cashew Brittle
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup water
1 cup salted cashews
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Directions:
Stir together sugar, honey, and water in a small saucepan with a candy thermometer. Bring mixture to a boil and continue to boil the mixture until it reaches 250°F. Then pour in cashews and continue to boil until mixture reaches 300°F. Quickly pour mixture onto buttered parchment paper lining a 8×8-inch square pan. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over the top. Cool for 1 hour or until at room temperature. Break candy into irregular shaped pieces and store in a cool place in air-tight containers. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition: 197 calories, 6.9g fat, 0.1g fiber, 2.1g protein per serving
Cost: $2.55 total

Chocolate Dulce De Leche Bars

Every month when the dining hall menu was released during college, my roommates and I circled one day on the calendar. This was a day that was not to be forgotten. This was a day that we quickly scurried to lunch giddy with anticipation. This was a day that was simply...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Tart

We’ve started a fun tradition in lab this year where I try to bake something for each person’s birthday. You know I love having the excuse to try new dessert recipes! My only request when I started was that each person make a list of their favorite treats so that I...

Nutella Pavlova with Strawberries

Time for my third and final New Zealand recap post (here are part 1 and part 2 if you missed them!). From Kaikoura, we set out on our longest drive of seven hours to the opposite side of the South Island to see two glaciers. Yes, glaciers! We visited Fox Glacier first...

Tempura Banana Sundaes with Caramel Sauce

Man, ice cream is hard to photograph, especially when it’s smothered with warm tempura bananas and caramel sauce – major melt factor! I first swooned over tempura bananas in New Zealand at a Japanese restaurant in Auckland. They were crispy on the outside and gooey on...

Banana Mascarpone Mousse Trifles

I’ve been on quite the popsicle kick lately. This unbearable heat wave means our oven hasn’t been turned on in weeks, so I haven't baked any desserts. My sweet tooth still needs to be satisfied though, and popsicles are just the perfect low calorie refreshing treat! I...

Strawberry Lemon Mini Bundt Cakes

Apolinaras always gives me the cutest sad puppy dog face when I'm whipping up treats to bring into lab for birthday celebrations. If I'm making cupcakes, I always save a couple for him to enjoy, but I can't just cut into a pie or cake and give him a slice before it's...

Berry Tart

My favorite part of the 4th of July growing up was always trying to spell out my name with a sparkler before it burnt out. I've always loved a good challenge, so it never got old! Now it’s all about the food, and this year I dreamed up a festive berry tart that would...

Pumpkin Pie Truffles

Hmm, this is my third post in a row featuring pumpkin and I have a couple more pumpkin recipes all ready to go! Sorry for the lack of variety - I’ll try to mix it up and refrain from posting the others for awhile, but I have to get this one in before Halloween! For my...