I love pecan brittle but I haven’t made it in years. I had a large bag of pecans that I was going to use to make a pecan pie, but I changed my mind. Candy lasts longer and I don’t have the pressure of eating a whole bunch at one time.
The recipe that I used said that a candy thermometer was essential for making the recipe. Years ago, I did not have a candy thermometer and I relied on the color of the sugar and the “hard ball” test.
As it turns out, I ended up having to use the hardball test because my candy thermometer was not working properly. The temperature would not get hotter than 230°F. I needed the temperature to read 300°F, so I let some of the candy mixture drop into a cup of cold water. When the drop of sugar mixture is hard after sitting in the cold water for a few seconds, then the temperature is right.
The recipe that I used was fairly simple.
https://www.mybakingaddiction.com/pecan-brittle/
The candy turned out very well, even without the candy thermometer.
I’m glad that I used a non-stick pot too.
I tripled the recipe because I had a lot of pecans.
This candy will last me a long time. I am going to store it in an airtight container, with a few pieces in a plastic bag for easy access.
Bon appétit!