Cashew Candy Crunch

Total Time Prep: 10 min. Cook: 30 min. + cooling
Yield 2-1/4 pounds
Test Kitchen Approved
I started making brittle in the mid 1970s and have been using this recipe for about 30 years. One year, I made more than 170 pounds of this brittle to give to my customers at Christmas. —Jim Merchant, Vinton, Iowa

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 cup butter, divided
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 2-1/2 cups unsalted cashew halves
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

  1. Butter a 15x10x1-in. pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
  2. Reduce heat; cut remaining butter into cubes and carefully stir into syrup. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 280° (soft-crack stage). Add nuts; cook and stir until candy thermometer reads 295°.
  3. Remove from the heat; stir in baking soda. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Cool; break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition Facts

1 ounce-weight: 171 calories, 10g fat (4g saturated fat), 14mg cholesterol, 54mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.

I started making brittle in the mid 1970s and have been using this recipe for about 30 years. One year, I made more than 170 pounds of this brittle to give to my customers at Christmas. —Jim Merchant, Vinton, Iowa
Recipe Creator

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