Making Caramel for Brittle
 

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

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 05:35:09 GMT, "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,

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

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

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

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 08:22:15 -0600, "jmcquown"
> 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

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 14:46:24 -0600, Steve Wertz
> 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

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 14:46:24 -0600, Steve Wertz
> > 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:

http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe...&queryType=and

-Adam

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 08:01:22 GMT, "Adam Schwartz"
> wrote:
>
> Here is the recipe. The recipe calls the cooked sugar "caramel" at least
> twice:
>
> http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe...&queryType=and
>
> -Adam
>

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


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 05:04:25 GMT, sf > 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

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

Adam Schwartz wrote:
> "sf" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 14:46:24 -0600, Steve Wertz
>> > 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:
>
>
http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe...&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

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

sf wrote:
> On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 14:46:24 -0600, Steve Wertz
> > 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

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

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.

Making Caramel for Brittle
 

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 06:32:29 -0600, "jmcquown"
> 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