Pine Nut Brittle
Kimberly Hasselbrink, the writer and photographer behind The Year in Food, tuned us into this great recipe from Food52, which features pine nuts in a crunchy, salty, rosemary-scented brittle. This recipe appeared in our 2012 Cookie Advent Calendar.
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Credit: Noah Fecks
INGREDIENTS
2 cups sugar2 ½ cups pine nuts
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. finely ground sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat sugar in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it becomes a liquid, golden caramel. Add pine nuts and then butter, and stir until butter is fully absorbed by caramel.2. Stir in half each the rosemary and salt, and then pour onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spreading to create an even layer; sprinkle with remaining rosemary and salt while warm. Let cool completely and then break into bite-size pieces. Store in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper.8. Mint Chocolate Chip Cookiesfrom Kierin from The DutchMAKES ABOUT 4 DOZEN
INGREDIENTS
1 ⅔ cups flour1 cup plus 1 tbsp. Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 ¾ cups sugar
12 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
¼ cup vegetable shortening
3 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. vanilla paste, such as Nielsen-Massey
1 tsp. mint extract
2 eggs
12 ½ oz. milk chocolate, chopped into rough chunks
2 large peppermint candy canes, chopped into very small, uneven pieces, plus 3, left whole
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Whisk together flour, cocoa, and baking soda in a bowl; set aside. In another bowl, beat ¾ cup sugar, butter, brown sugar, shortening, 2 ¼ tsp. salt, vanilla paste, and mint extract on medium-high speed of a hand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate and chopped candy canes; transfer to a work surface and shape into a ½"-thick square; wrap with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, combine remaining sugar and salt with candy canes in a food processor, and process until finely ground; transfer to a bowl and set peppermint sugar aside.2. Heat oven to 425°. Cut dough into 1 ½" squares and toss in peppermint sugar to coat, and place 2" apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle remaining peppermint sugar on tops of squares and return to freezer for 30 minutes. Bake until spread and just set and tops are lightly cracked, about 8 minutes.
Ms.T
www.stillsimmering.wordpress.com
PS--Yes, my rating is admittedly biased! But I promise I'm not the only one who thinks it's a good recipe.
Ms.T
www.stillsimmering.wordpress.com
PS--Yes, my rating is admittedly biased! But I promise I'm not the only one who thinks it's a good recipe. Rating: 5