Hazelnuts are sweet nuts, but their skins are very bitter. Blanching the nuts first then roasting them removes any lingering bitterness, enhancing their buttery sweetness. Unlike cloyingly sweet refined white sugar, whole and unrefined cane sugar tastes more complex, with mineral-like notes that enhance the flavor of roasted nuts.
MAKES: ABOUT 1 POUND
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 cups blanched hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon melted unsalted butter
- 3 cups unrefined cane sugar
- ¼ cup water
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle them with the 1 teaspoon of melted butter. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the nuts are deeply fragrant and brown a bit. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the nuts to cool.
- Grease a separate rimmed baking sheet with the remaining ¼ cup of melted butter.
- Whisk the sugar and water in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and cook until the sugar liquefies and turns light amber in color, about 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, lest you burn the sugar, and stir in the hazelnuts.
- Pour the contents of the pan onto the buttered baking sheet and allow it to spread.
- Let cool completely and harden, then break the brittle into bite-sized glassy shards.
- Store the brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
