Cashew Coconut Brittle

So this week's Cashew Coconut Brittle was approached with much more caution. I’m happy to report it came out great on the first attempt. In fact we can’t seem to stop eating it. So I can highly recommend this one.

I''ve made it lots of time with peanuts, and it's very good. But this combo, of coconut and cashews is AMAZING, worth the effort, and should secure the praise and admiration of your friends and family. (Oversell? Well, let’s just say this coconut cashew brittle really is good then.)

Ingredients

The star of the show for this cashew coconut brittle is of course, the cashews and the coconut. I just love the cashew flavors with the intense coconut flavor.

Cashews: You can use roasted or raw cashews in this recipe, whichever is your preference. Pieces or whole cashews are fine. I used unsalted cashews, but if you only have salted cashews, just omit the salt later in the recipe. That sweet salty combo is pretty great.
Coconut: This recipe is made with unsweetened flakes. Feel free to use sweetened coconut if that's what you have, and flaked or shredded coconut can be used interchangeably here.
Corn Syrup: Using corn syrup in brittle helps guard against the sugar crystallizing and creating a grainy brittle. Corn syrup helps create a smooth and never grainy coconut cashew brittle texture.
Salt: Add a pinch of salt to the brittle mixture to help balance out the sweet. Love the salty and sweet combo? Try using salted cashews or add a sprinkle of sea salt over the warm coconut cashew brittle.

Hint

Make sure to pre-measure the cashews and coconut, and have your vanilla and baking soda near by. When the brittle reaches the right temperature you will want to quickly add the last ingredients.

Substitutions

You can substitute any nuts for the cashews and coconut. You want the total to equal 2 ½ cups. You may use salted in place of unsalted cashews, just remove the salt from the recipe.

Variations

Try using some other nuts and combinations for different flavor variations. Feel free to play around or even go with the classic peanuts. It’s as simple as swapping out the 2 ½ cups total (I did 1 ¼ cashews and 1 ¼ coconut here) with any nut of your choice.

Use all cashews and no coconut for cashew brittle.

Use peanuts for peanut brittle

Try using almonds, or any other nut or combination of nuts equaling 2 ½ cups total.

Equipment

You will need a candy thermometer for this recipe. Attach it to the side of pan, making sure that it doesn't rest on the bottom of the pan so that it's an accurate reading.

Also, use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to brush down the sides of the pan to help prevent and recrystallization during the cooking process of the brittle.

tin of brittle for Christmas gift giving

Storage

Store your finished brittle at room temperature in an airtight container. It lasts up to a month.

It's perfect for gift giving a small tin or wrapped in a cellophane bag, tied with ribbon to be air tight.

FAQ

Why put baking soda in brittle?

The baking soda reacts and creates carbon dioxide. This aerates the caramel making it less dense and helping to create the characteristic brittle snap of the candy, and guarding against it being soft and chewy.

Why is my brittle grainy?

Your sugar in your candy may have recrystallized, causing a grainy texture. Use a pastry brush dipped in cold water and brush down the sides of the pan several times as it cooks to help prevent this problem.

Why didn't my brittle set?

If your brittle didn't set you may not have cooked it long enough. Be sure that it reaches 238 degrees on a candy thermometer before removing it from the heat.

Recipe