This ginger Pecan Brittle with chocolate drizzle is surprisingly simple to make! It's also a perfect edible Christmas gift or at any time of year. Try this easy brittle recipe - a twist on the peanut brittle classic.
Commissioned by Thermapen.
Pecan Brittle
I've added ginger and a chocolate drizzle to make this pecan brittle extra special.
This Ginger and Pecan Brittle recipe is really easy to make and is perfect to pop into a pretty bag or jar and tie up with ribbon to give as a gift. It would be lovely in a hamper, in a stocking or on its own.
The rich, buttery toffee is infused with crystallised ginger (candied ginger) and crunchy, perfumed pecans.
It's crisp and delicate, and perfect with a liberal drizzle of milk chocolate.
Taking a bite, you get a hit of crunchy pecan, the odd burst of spicy crystallised ginger and smooth milk chocolate against the crispy, buttery brittle.
Growing up, my sister and I spent so much time in the kitchen with my parents doing Christmas baking.
I have such fond memories of pricking shortbread with a fork, making gingerbread cookies and stirring the Christmas pudding.
You can, of course, eat this Pecan Brittle at any time of year, but it's absolutely perfect over the holidays.
Ingredients
Pecans
Light corn syrup (golden syrup)
Sugar
Sea salt
Butter
Baking soda (bicarb of soda)
Candied ginger (crystallised ginger)
Equipment
Pot
Cookie sheet
A candy thermometer is very useful, but not essential
Edible Gifts
I love giving DIY foodie gifts at Christmas. Obviously I get into my kitchen any chance I get, but I especially like cooking at Christmastime.
Pecan brittle is a wonderful edible gift. Not only is it surprisingly quick and easy, but it tastes divine! It's a decadent treat and a great twist on the classic peanut brittle.
Make a batch, put it into little bags and it's great for a Christmas gift, teacher gift or a treat for the family. It's also perfect to give to your host at Thanksgiving.
You could also make it to add a wonderfully decadent topping for a cake! Just stick shards into the frosting.
Try these other edible gift recipes!
Christmas Tiffin (fridge cake)
Salted Chocolate Honeycomb (vegan)
Cook's Tips
Use a high-sided pot, so you don't get splattered by molten-hot sugar.
You'll also need a food thermometer.
Measure all ingredients before starting - it's a quick process
Gather all the tools you'll need before starting
Line the baking tray with baking paper before starting
Make it vegan: use dairy free butter and dairy free chocolate
Crystallised ginger is also known as candied ginger. It's dry and hard and coated in sugar.
How to make Ginger Pecan Brittle
Follow these simple steps and see just how easy it is to make Pecan Brittle!
1. Before you start making the brittle, prepare all of your ingredients and tools. Measure out the ingredients and have them all to hand, so when the sugar syrup is ready, you can tip it all in.
2. Line the baking tray with parchment in advance and have your Thermapen thermometer to hand if you have one.
3. Then it's simply a matter of boiling the water, syrup and sugar, then stirring in pecans, butter, ginger and baking soda.
4. Pour it onto the prepared baking tray. Note: You'll need to work quickly so the brittle hardens in the baking tray rather than in the pot. Don't be frightened though - it's really quite easy to make!
Thermapen
The new SuperFast Thermapen® 4 Cooks Thermometer is the number one selling food thermometer in the UK. Here are some of the best things about it:
- Measuring temperature over the range of -49.9 to 299.9 °C.
- Used by hundreds of thousands of cooks and barbecue enthusiasts worldwide
- Speed, accuracy and convenience.
- Patented 360° self-rotating display that automatically turns to make it readable in any position.
Disclosure: This recipe for Ginger Pecan Brittle with Chocolate Drizzle was commissioned by Thermapen. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make it possible for me to mess up my kitchen and write Veggie Desserts.
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📖 Recipe
Ginger Pecan Brittle with Chocolate Drizzle
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- ½ cup (170g) light corn syrup (golden syrup)
- ¼ cup (60ml) water
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 cup (120g) pecans, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoon chopped candied ginger (crystallised ginger)
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature (or dairy free butter to make it vegan)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (bicarb of soda)
- 100g chocolate
Instructions
- Line a large baking tray that has sides with baking parchment paper and prepare and measure all ingredients before starting.
- In a large heavy-bottomed high sided saucepan, bring the sugar, syrup, water and sea salt to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Continue stirring and use the Thermapen digital food thermometer to check the temperature until it reaches 150C/300F.
- Working quickly, remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir in the butter, crystallised ginger and soda. Immediately pour the mixture into the prepared tray and spread it out with a spoon.
- Allow to cool, then cut into pieces.
- Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the brittle and allow to set.
- The ginger pecan brittle can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Perfect for a Christmas gift!
Video
Notes
Cook's Tips
- Use a high-sided pot, so you don't get splattered by molten-hot sugar.
- You'll also need a food thermometer.
- Measure all ingredients before starting - it's a quick process
- Gather all the tools you'll need before starting
- Line the baking tray with baking paper before starting
- Make it vegan: use dairy free butter and dairy free chocolate
- Crystallised ginger is also known as candied ginger. It's dry and hard and coated in sugar.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Janice
That's a lovely idea, it would make a delicious gift.
Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs
Yum, yum, yum. I LOVE sugar work and only ever really get a chance to do it at Christmas when making gifts. I love the science of it - though you make it so easy. Really do need to invest in one of those thermometers 🙂 I have such an old fashioned glass one.
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes
This looks gorgeous and I love the flavour combination. I would be very happy if I got this for Christmas,
Riz @ Chocolates & Chai
Hmm...I just bought some chocolate, ginger, and pecan on my grocery run earlier today... it might be a sign! This looks delicious!
J @ Bless Her Heart Y'all
This brittle would be a great holiday gift for friends. Looks like decadent little treats! YUM!
Nadia
I love making edible gifts for Christmas and this recipe is perfect for that! Anything ginger and chocolate is a winner in my book 😀
Igor @ Cooking The Globe
So easy to make and yet so satisfying. Adding to my holiday to-make list! By the way, love the thermometer, it looks like a beast!
Aish Das-Padihari
I can eat a whole box of it with my black coffee. And your pics are tempting.
Sarah James @ Tales From The Kitchen Shed
Great recipe Kate, i love the idea of adding ginger and using pecans, delicious.
Amanda
This sounds so good. You said it lasts for 2 weeks in a sealed container. Not at my house. It would be gone before the end of the day! I love a good brittle, and that ginger really puts it over the top!
Platter Talk
Pecans brittle- brilliant! Add the the sugared ginger...makes a nice 1, 2 punch! I'm going to try this brittle! Thanks.
Kate Hackworthy
I hope you like it. Let me know how you get on!
Jolina
This looks so good! Perfect Christmas gift. I love giving DIY foodie gifts at Christmas too. Not just because I enjoy doing it, but also I like receiving it so I'm hoping my friends would get the hint lol. I own a different kind of food thermometer. Yours is so much better! I want one for Christmas! (OK not food but excellent lol)
Lisa |Garlic + Zest
I've been avoiding the candy thermometer, but I think I'll have to make an exception for this beautiful brittle! I think I could eat the whole batch myself.
Tara
Definitely the perfect holiday gift! So unique. I love the drizzle of chocolate over the top and the flavor sounds incredible.
Chris @thinlyspread
Perfect flavour combination - I'm salivating a bit! I'm very taken with that Thermapen - genius! I have a sugar thermometer which I have to clip onto the side of the pan and it's a very precarious business!
Kate Hackworthy
The Thermapen really makes it easy. Just touch the tip in and it reads it instantly!
Cricket Plunkett
Wow, I love this idea! It looks like a perfect Christmas recipe!
MissPond
What a wonderful recipe! I've always risked it and not measured temp, but sometimes it leads in disaster! I definitely need to invest in a Thermapen 🙂
Anna
This looks delicious, so I am sure this will taste really nice! The Thermapen looks very useful.