The Ottolenghi Test Kitchen’s Almond, Barberry and Orange Brittle with Aleppo Chilli
For a DIY Christmas gift, try this moreish almond, barberry and orange brittle from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen team.
From the book
Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love
A collaborative effort from the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen team
Designed to help you make the most of your pantry, fridge, and freezer
With recipes ranging from one-pot feasts to sumptuous bakes
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Introduction
This crunchy, sweet snack is dangerously moreish and a great way to use up all the nuts and seeds hanging out in your cupboards. This is a good one to serve as an afternoon treat.
Ingredients
| 2 tbsp | whipping cream |
| 100g | caster sugar |
| 100g | golden syrup |
| 70g | unsalted butter, cut into roughly 3cm cubes |
| 1 tsp | vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract |
| 1 tsp | flaked sea salt |
| 1 tsp | Aleppo chilli, or ½ tsp regular chilli flakes |
| 1 tsp | good-quality orange blossom water |
| 15g | orange zest (about 1½ tbsp finely grated zest, from 1–2 oranges) |
| 150g | flaked almonds, lightly toasted |
| 90g | pecan or walnut pieces, lightly toasted then finely chopped |
| 90g | pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted |
| 40g | sesame seeds, lightly toasted |
| 20g | barberries, soaked in 100ml boiling water for 10 minutes, then drained |
| 30g | dark chocolate, roughly chopped |
Essential kit
You will need a 40cm x 30cm baking tray.
Method
Preheat the oven to 145°C fan. Line a large, 40cm x 30cm baking tray with baking parchment.
Add the cream, sugar and golden syrup to a medium saucepan on a medium heat. Cook just until it starts to bubble, stirring occasionally, until it is very lightly golden and smooth. Remove from the heat, add the butter, vanilla, salt, chilli, orange blossom water and orange zest, and stir continuously until the butter has melted. Stir through the toasted nuts and seeds until well combined, then quickly transfer the mixture to your prepared baking tray. Use the back of a rubber spatula to spread out the mixture into a thin rectangle that covers the base of the tray.
Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the tray and bake for 15 minutes more. Sprinkle evenly with the barberries, pushing them gently into the mix with the back of a spoon, and return to the oven for another 2 minutes. Set aside to cool completely, about 30–45 minutes.
Meanwhile, temper the chocolate. Put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water, with the base of the bowl not touching the water. Once two-thirds melted, remove the bowl from the heat and gently stir until the chocolate is completely smooth and melted (this helps the chocolate set at room temperature).
Drizzle the melted chocolate all over the surface of the brittle, then leave to set completely, about 30 minutes, or refrigerate to help it set faster. Break the brittle apart into randomly-sized large pieces and serve piled on to a plate or board.
Get ahead: store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Make it your own:
Play with your nuts and seeds, using more of less of either.
Use other types of chocolate for drizzling.
Bag and tie these up as a festive DIY gift.
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