Average Jane Makes Maple Pecan Brittle with Sea Salt

Disclosure: I received free product for participating in this program. All opinions are my own.

I agreed several weeks ago to take part in the Crown Maple Tap to Table Recipe Challenge, which involves using organic maple syrup to make a sweet and savory treat. Since then I've been thinking about what I want to make. The obvious choice might have been to do something with maple and bacon, but because I'm not eating a lot of meat these days, I decided that pecans with salt would be my savory touch.

Today I made Maple Pecan Brittle with Sea Salt, which is a modified version of the peanut brittle recipe I have been using for years. It turned my kitchen into a buttery, pecan- and maple-scented wonderland. I think we have a winner!

Best of all, it avoids the pitfall that makes candy making so daunting: the candy thermometer. This recipe is made in the microwave, so there's no watching pots boil and worrying about burning the mixture. So without further ado, here is the recipe I came up with:

Maple Pecan Brittle with Sea Salt

Ingredients

1/2 cup Crown Maple sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup Crown Maple Medium Amber syrup
1/2 cup white corn syrup
9.5 oz. pecan halves (unsalted)
1 ½ tsp. butter
1 ½ tsp. Crown Maple Dark Amber syrup
1/2 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
Sea salt

Directions

1. Combine white sugar, maple sugar, Crown Maple Medium Amber syrup and corn syrup in a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on High for 4 minutes.
2. Carefully stir in pecan halves. I recommend a silicone spatula for all stirring because they're heatproof and the mixture won't stick to it too much. Microwave on High for 3 minutes.
3. Stir in butter, Crown Maple Dark Amber syrup and salt. Microwave on High for two minutes.
4. Add baking soda and stir gently until light and foamy.
5. Carefully spread mixture onto silicone baking sheet or lightly greased cookie sheet. Quickly sprinkle or grind sea salt lightly over the top.
6. Let cool for 1/2 to one hour. Break into small pieces and store in airtight container.

I made this last night for the first time and served it to my husband and his friend, then took most of it to a dinner party. It was a huge hit! People snacked on it before and after dinner and all said it was impossible not to have more after the first piece.