I have to thank my sister-in-law for this delicious twist on peanut brittle. She brought the recipe with her when she visited this weekend and we whipped up a batch. I love cooking with someone (especially an amazing cook like my sister-in-law) almost as much as I love eating homemade candy.
I’m so glad she brought this recipe. Birdseed brittle has it all over peanut brittle! You get a delicious brittle and can avoid the peanut allergy issues. Oh, and it’s gluten-free and vegetarian (not vegan).
While it might be allergen and gluten free…. it does have corn syrup. I’ve never made brittle without it, have you? I understand you can make brittle with maple syrup, but again, I’ve never done it. Ever hopeful that there was some “healthified” version of corn syrup, I asked at the Natural Grocers if they carried it. I won’t say the clerk showed any outward signs of disgust at my question, I will say he wore a kind of smirk that let me know corn syrup has no place in the Natural Grocers. So we had to make a second stop at Safeway to pick it up. And here’s a little tidbit of information for you. Corn syrup lives with the pancake syrup at the grocery store. Not on the baking aisle. Not sure what logic that follows, but there you go!
This recipe can make several Homemade Holiday presents, OR it can be eaten in two days by yourself in sneaky little bites when no one is looking.
Birdseed Brittle
1 1/4 C quinoa
1 1/4 C millet
1/4 C sesame seeds
2 C sugar
1 C light corn syrup
1/2 C water
2 sticks or 1 C butter
1 t baking soda
1. Preheat the oven to 325.
2. Mix the quinoa, millet and sesame seeds together. Spread mixture out on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, shaking the pan occassionally. Remove and allow to cool.
3. Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, then stir in the butter. Turn the heat up to medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until it measures the hard crack stage on a candy thermometer. Stir in the toasted seeds and the baking soda. Acting quickly, spread the mixture out onto a large rimmed baking sheet and spread into an even layer.
4. Let cool completely until hard. Break it into bite sized pieces and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks (as if it would ever last that long!)
Have you been making any Homemade Holiday gifts?
Linked to Tasty Tuesday
