peanut and sesame brittle
2 min readBrittle is an old-school kind of sweet treat: quite simply, sugar that has been caramelised with some tasty morsels suspended within. The classic Chinese version, fah sung zjie ma tong, is a clear golden amber confection with two houng (fragrant)ingredients: roasted peanuts and freshly toasted sesame seeds. For a surprising yet delightful kick we’ve added dried chilli flakes.
Makes about 200g 15g sesame seeds 60g roasted salted peanuts 4% tsp dried chilliflakes (optional) 150g granulated sugar 1%2 tsp white vinegar 1 Toast the sesame seeds in a small frying pan over a low heat for 5 minutes, or until they smell slightly smoky and nutty. Line a 20cm square baking tin with non-stick paper and set aside.
2 Sprinkle the peanuts, toasted sesame seeds and chilli flakes (if using) evenly over the lined tin.
3 Heat the sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan over a low heat, stirring gently until the sugar melts.
Increase the heat to medium and bring the syrup to the boil. (Once boiling, avoid the temptation to stir the mixture. )Cover with a lid and boil for a further 7-8 minutes or until the syrup is a light amber colour.
4 Remove from the heat and immediately pour the syrup onto the nuts and seeds in the tin. Leave to cool for 3-4 minutes in the tin before lifting it out with the paper onto a chopping board. Chop the brittle into shards and leave to harden for a further 40 minutes before munching. Store in an air-tight container, where it will keep for at least a week or maximum dramatic flair, you can wait for the brittle to cool completely before using a small hammer to crack it into irregular shards.
