Amish Cashew Crunch Recipe (Brittle)
Amish cashew crunch is a delicious and crunchy confectionery treat with a toffee-like base embedded with cashews. It is a delightful homemade candy with a sweet, nutty flavor and satisfying crunch.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup Karo light corn syrup
- 2 cup sugar
- 1 cup salted butter at room temperature (2 sticks)
- 2 1/2 cups salted cashews
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Line a 13 x 18-inch baking sheet (half-sheet pan) with parchment paper and set aside. (If you prefer very thin toffee, you may need a larger pan or distribute the cashew crunch into two pans.)
- Add the water, light corn syrup, and sugar to a large heavy saucepan. (The mixture will bubble up, so you will need to use at least a 2 1/2-quart sized pan.) Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.1/2 cup Karo light corn syrup, 2 cup sugar, 1 cup salted butter at room temperature (2 sticks), 1/2 cup water
- Add the butter and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, over medium high heat, until it reaches the soft-crack stage (280℉) on a candy thermometer.
- Once the temperature reaches approximately 280℉, slowly add the salted cashews to the mixture, and keep stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until it reaches the hard-crack stage (approximately 295℉).2 1/2 cups salted cashews
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately sprinkle the baking soda over the mixture, stir quickly to incorporate.1 teaspoon baking soda
- Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading it evenly to the edges.
- If you want a salty toffee, feel free to sprinkle a bit of coarse salt over the top after spreading it in the pan. Allow the brittle time to cool and harden at room temperature.
- Once completely cooled, break the cashew crunch into bite-sized pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
When spreading this cashew crunch onto the pan, I felt like it was extra buttery. So I made another batch and tried this recipe using only 1/2 cup of butter (half the amount, with all the other ingredients the same).
When comparing the two, I decided that the texture of the one with more butter (1 c.) was more desirable. However, my husband prefers the one with less butter, noting that it has a deeper roasted flavor. (Just adding this here in case you want to cut back on the amount of butter, or try it both ways to see which you prefer. It turns out great either way.)
*Nutrition is approximate.
Nutrition
Serving: 3small piecesCalories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 3gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 243mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 284IUCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!