Benne Seed Brittle, the Peanut Brittle of The South

Glass jars filled with pieces of benne seed brittle on a white surface.

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Benne Seed Brittle, the Peanut Brittle of The South

Benne Seed Brittle is a sweet Southern candy made with benne seeds (sesame seeds), sugar, and butter, perfect for snacking or as a dessert topping.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Cooling1

Total Time1 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Gullah, Southern

Servings: servings

Author: Jenny DeRemer

Cost: $0.24 per serving

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups benne seeds (sesame seeds) Recommended - toast in dry skillet over medium heat, stirring until golden and fragrant.
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt Optional but recommended

Instructions

Assemble work area and measure all ingredients. Spray a parchment-lined baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Heat mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely. Liquid should be clear, not cloudy.
1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 3 tablespoons water
Attach thermometer to the wall of the saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and cook, CONSTANTLY MONITORED, until it reaches 290°F (soft crack stage), about 4 to 5 minutes. Note - nothing says fire like an unattended pot of caramel sugar - you absolutely cannot and must not walk away during this process.
Quickly stir in butter, Kosher salt, and seeds. The mixture will initially bubble up. Cook the syrup, stirring, until the thermometer registers 300°F. Sprinkle baking soda over the surface and stir to blend.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 1/2 cups benne seeds (sesame seeds), 1 teaspoon baking soda
Immediately pour the caramel mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and smooth out to all corners using a spatula. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if desired, and allow to cool COMPLETELY before peeling away parchment and breaking into shards.
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

Notes

Before you start cooking, prepare your workspace and have all your ingredients measured and ready. The process moves quickly once the sugar mixture is ready, and you won't have time to prepare anything else.

Storage - store benne seed brittle in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 weeks to maintain its crunchy texture.

Use regular sesame seeds in place of benne seeds if you are unable to source.

Nutrition