Um, major confession.
I made brittle and all of a sudden I feel like I’ve jumped into grandma territory. Somehow I went straight from being a mom to embracing the cozy, nostalgic energy of a grandmother.
Neither of my grandmothers ever made brittle, but the brittle I remember most came from Mother Lovett’s cabinet where she kept candy and treats. Her stash included gumdrops, old peanut butter cups, two-year-old Snickers bars and a hoard of salt water taffy we were forbidden to touch. That taffy could have been four to six years old and it was off-limits.
That was a different cabinet than the one holding fritos, pretzels and a bag of bright, tacky “party mix” — the kind with balloons and streamers on the package that felt deliciously retro. I would always pick through it, leaving the strangest things behind for everyone else.
FYI: take a guess what I’m going to “run to the store” for around 3:37 PM today.
We never made brittle during our marathon holiday baking sessions — those were for fudge, chocolate chip cookies, thumbprints and peanut butter blossoms — but I do recall seeing occasional packages of brittle in that cabinet. For the longest time, brittle didn’t appeal to me. It wasn’t chocolate or gummy bears, so it felt wrong.
Here’s how this recipe came about: during a book tour in New York City last September someone handed me a bacon and bourbon cookbook. My first thought was, why didn’t I write this? Why hadn’t I thought of it before? I sat there in the middle of an interview, completely enthralled for at least half an hour, mentally planning everything I wanted to make from it even though I couldn’t indulge in the cocktails yet.
When I got home I made about fourteen recipes inspired by that book. While most of my cookbooks are still packed from a move, that bacon and bourbon book now sits propped up in my kitchen as daily inspiration.
The original recipe called for bacon peanut brittle, but I fell in love with smoked almonds from Trader Joe’s and knew I had to use them. You can use smoked almonds, regular raw or roasted almonds — it’s up to you. Keep in mind the bacon already adds smokiness, so choose almonds accordingly.
Imagine coarsely chopped smoked almonds folded into hot, bubbling sugar with crispy bacon and a touch of vanilla bean paste. The texture, the sweet-salty balance and the smoky notes combine into something heavenly.
Yes, it took bacon to get me to make — and actually enjoy — brittle. Now I love it. This might be one of my favorite new holiday gifts and it would be a standout addition to cookie trays. I finished every last bit of the first batch a few weeks ago, so I need to make more. It’s simple to make and stores well for gifting. I’m accepting my new granny role with open arms.
Bacon Almond Brittle
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Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups raw almonds, coarsely chopped
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
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Grease a baking sheet generously with softened butter.
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In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to bubble, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the almonds and bring the mixture to a simmer, cooking until it turns golden brown, about 3 more minutes. Stir in the cooked crumbled bacon, vanilla bean paste and baking soda.
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Quickly spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet to about 1/4-inch thickness. Let cool completely, about an hour. Break into pieces and serve or package for gifts. This brittle can be made a few days ahead for gifting.
Notes
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I appreciate you so much!
I mean… the crunch.