Indian-spiced Peanut Brittle

Sometimes a recipe comes around that I'm so excited about that I can barely wait until I post it to 28 Cooks. This is definitely one of those.

I love to play with spices, especially whole spices. I almost always have cumin seed, fennel seed, coriander, whole peppercorns, and a host of other spices hanging around in my spice cabinet. I especially love combining those that remind me of one of my favorite cuisines, Indian food.

I haven't made anything sweet in awhile, and I really wanted to make it more of a savory one. For some reason, even though I haven't eaten it in years and don't generally care for it, the idea of peanut brittle ended up on my "to cook soon" list. After thinking about it for awhile, I decided to do 2 different things with it. One - I didn't want to be fussing around with any thermometers or careful attendance, so I used the microwave. Trust me when I say this is probably the easiest candy recipe you'll ever make. The only thing you have to do is put it in the microwave, stir, and you've got yourself a great snack. The second thing I wanted to do was spice it up, using up some of my favorite whole spices. I think the combination of the spices really complement the brittle and make it a snack I'm sure you'll love. It's also delicious crumbled up and swirled into vanilla ice cream.



Indian-spiced Peanut Brittle

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 c light corn syrup
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
1/2 tbsp butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp coriander seed
1/4 tsp fennel seed
1/4 tsp mustard seed (I used yellow but feel free to use black)
1/4 tsp whole white peppercorns
1/8 tsp cumin seed

In a microwave-safe dish (I used my Pyrex 4-cup measuring bowl) combine sugar, corn syrup, salt, and peanuts. Place in microwave and heat for 4 minutes on high. Remove, stir well, and return back to the microwave for an additional 4 minutes. Remove, add butter, and stir well. Return back to the microwave for an additional 2 minutes. While peanut brittle is in the microwave, combine coriander, fennel, mustard, peppercorns, and cumin seed. Crush slightly in a mortar and pestle, bruising the spices well. Set aside. Remove brittle from the microwave, and add the baking soda and vanilla, stirring well. The mixture will foam up, so continue to stir for an additional minute. Add spices, stir for another minute, then spread thinly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cool, then break into pieces. Store in a airtight container.