Almond Brittle

The holiday season is upon us, and that means candymaking and treats are in order! Riva will be doing a larger blog post with lots of photos on her blog (and we'll include the link when it's ready, check back!), but to get things started, here is our recipe for a brittle that is made entirely with maple syrup. This is very versatile, the almond extract is really delicious but you could certainly play with different flavors or toppings. Pumpkin seeds? Toasted sesame seeds? Peppermint extract? Endless possibilites....

• 1 c Grade A Amber maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/8 c finely chopped almonds
• Pinch of sea salt

Begin boiling the maple syrup in a stainless steel pot. Line a cookie sheet with greased parchment paper and set aside. Using a candy thermometer, check the maple syrup regularly until it reaches 300 F. Remove it from heat and stir in the butter and baking soda. You can add almonds now or wait. Once the butter is stirred in, add the almond extract, swirl around and then pour onto the cookie sheet, spreading out the brittle. If you didn’t mix in almonds yet, sprinkle them on top and garnish with sea salt. Refrigerate until brittle, then snap into pieces and enjoy! It's best eaten fresh, but will keep for a bit in the refrigerator - best put it in the freezer if you're trying to save it.