Maple Nut Brittle

[drlcbl]

I have been trying to make maple syrup nut brittle for some time now with no appreciable results. All the online recipes I have seen call for white sugar, corn syrup and very little maple syrup; (maybe ½ cup).
I have been trying to do it with maple sugar and maple syrup. No white sugar or corn syrup. I can’t seem to get it up to the hard crack stage (300 deg F) without it crystallizing into an almost solid mass of nuts and sugar. It is unstirrable and I am afraid it will burn if I don’t take it off the heat
My main questions are:
· Are white sugar and corn syrup necessary ingredients for nut brittle?
· Is there any way I can use maple syrup for nut brittle?
I would appreciate any and all comments that might help me with my problem.

 

[ChefJune]

You can sub Steens's Cane Syrup, or that "golden syrup" they sell in UK for corn syrup. But yes, I think you'll need some sugar syrup of some kind to mix with the maple. Please let me know how it turns out. I'll bet Shirley Corriher could give you some great guidelines. Do you have her book, "Cookwise?" Sorry I'm not where I can look this up in mine for you.

 

[DaveSoMD]

Try making it with just 1 Tbsp of the corn syrup. I believe it is a different sugar than the maple syrup and sugar and that should prevent the maple syrup & sugar crystals from forming the crystal lattice.

 

[drlcbl]

Thanks for the suggestion about adding the small amount of corn syrup. I will give it a try. When this problem with crystalization occured, I sent an email to my maple syrup supplier, giving him all the info about it. I asked him if he had any suggestions and I just received the following reply:

First, we can do it with maple syrup only. My mom is doing it. But, we must use a low inverted saccharose sugar!!!! Maple syrup, fresh made is high in Saccharose sugar. When it become older, the saccharose sugar invert to Glucose and Fructose sugar and it is difficult to make chrystalization.
The maple sugar was made when the Saccharose sugar was at high level = Reason of Chrystalization.
Second: on your mixture, did you cook the maple syrup and the maple sugar together? You might cook it up to 252 F and more. Maple sugar is cooked up to 258 F. but it is lower than 4 % of moisture. After, put on oven for drying..
Third: I'm suggesting to use 3 parts of sugar with 1 part of maple syrup, melt the maple sugar with the maple syrup, cook it up to 254 F. mix with your nuts and dry them on oven (150F for several minutes). Why 3 parts of sugar and 1 part of maple syrup - The maple sugar is on christalized texture. Either the maple syrup is on inverted sugar, the mixture will chrystalize...
Regards