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?
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.
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.
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.
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?
"sf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Steve Wertz said:
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:
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.
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.
"sf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Steve Wertz said:
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:
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.
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 [censored] list, which wouldn't happen if I had kill filed them.
