Brittle (food) facts for kids
Golden peanut brittle cracked on a serving dish
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| Type | Confectionery |
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| Main ingredients | Sugar, nuts, water, butter |
Brittle is a yummy type of candy. It's made of flat, hard pieces of sugar candy. These pieces have tasty nuts mixed in, like pecans, almonds, or peanuts. Brittle is usually thin, less than 1 centimeter thick.
This crunchy treat is popular all over the world! For example, it's called pasteli in Greece and chikki in India. In Mexico, you might find it as alegría or "palanqueta." Many countries in Asia use sesame seeds and peanuts in their brittle. In the United States, peanut brittle is the most famous kind. People have been enjoying brittle for a very long time, even though the name "brittle" first appeared in print in 1892.
How Is Brittle Made?
Making brittle is a fun process! It starts with heating a mix of sugar and water. This mixture gets very hot, reaching about 150°C (300°F). This high heat makes the sugar reach a special stage called the "hard crack stage." At this point, if you drop a bit of the sugar into cold water, it will form hard, brittle threads.
Once the sugar is ready, nuts are stirred into the hot, caramelized sugar. Sometimes, spices, baking soda, or butter are added too. The hot candy is then poured onto a flat, cool surface. This could be a granite slab, a marble counter, or a baking sheet.
The candy is spread out to an even thickness. As it cools, it becomes hard and crunchy. Once it's cool enough to touch, the brittle is broken into pieces. These pieces are often different shapes and sizes, which makes each bite a surprise!
What is Nougatine?
Nougatine is a candy that's quite similar to brittle. The main difference is the type of nuts used. Instead of whole peanuts, nougatine is made with thin slices of almonds. These almond slices are mixed into clear, hard caramel. It's another delicious crunchy treat!
See also
In Spanish: Crocante para niños
