Lunch: Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Recipe by Alison Roman Kick off the holiday sweet(s) season by sending guests home with this crunchy, easy-to-make-ahead brittle.

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Special equipment: A candy thermometer

Instructions

Spray a parchment-lined baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside. Bring sugar, corn syrup, and 3 tablespoons water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Fit saucepan with thermometer and cook until thermometer registers 290 °F, 3 –4 minutes.
Stir in pumpkin seeds, butter, and kosher salt and cook, stirring often, until pale brown and thermometer registers 305 °F, 3 –4 minutes.
Stir in baking soda and cinnamon (mixture will bubble vigorously), then immediately pour caramel onto prepared sheet. Using a heatproof spatula, quickly spread out and sprinkle with sea salt; let cool. Break brittle into pieces.
DO AHEAD: Brittle can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight, layered between sheets of parchment paper, at room temperature.

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