The almond brittle, also known as Sicilian nougat, is a dessert with ancient origins, brought to us by the Arab dominion over a thousand years ago. Today it is prepared in its simplest form, with just caramelized sugar and almonds, but the original recipe also included honey, lemon juice, and fragrant spices like cinnamon, which I chose to omit in this version.
In my village, it is a preparation handed down through generations and is made especially during two times of the year: during the Christmas holidays and for the neighborhood festival in September. It is one of those traditional sweets that I love the most, those that tell stories of family, experienced hands, and slow times. The last time I saw it being made at home was about fifteen years ago, when my grandmother was still taking care of it. This year, on Christmas Day, I decided to resume that tradition and make it myself. The result? A total success: it disappeared in no time.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 15
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 7 oz almonds (shelled)
- 7 oz sugar
- 0.7 oz honey
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Tools
- Pan – non-stick
- Ladle wooden
- Parchment Paper
- Knife large smooth blade
Preparation
To prepare the almond brittle, get a non-stick pan and put it on medium-high heat. Pour in the sugar along with the honey, three tablespoons of water, and the lemon juice. Stir continuously with a wooden ladle until the sugar starts to dissolve completely.
When the mixture begins to take on an amber color, add the almonds and continue to stir, keeping the heat on medium for about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the caramel.
At this point, remove the pan from the heat. Pour the mixture onto a marble slab if you have one, or onto a sheet of parchment paper placed on a large cutting board. Use the ladle to shape the brittle into a rectangle and level it to your liking. Let it cool slightly before proceeding further.As soon as the mixture begins to solidify and feels still soft to the touch but not too sticky, proceed with cutting. You’ll need a smooth-blade knife, at least 1.5-2 inches wide. Cut by applying pressure on the back of the knife, without sawing, forming rectangles of the size you prefer.
Once cut, immediately separate the rectangles from each other, or they will tend to stick together again. Let the brittle cool completely on the work surface or parchment paper for about 20 minutes before serving.
Advice and Storage
You can choose to use whole almonds, halved, or sliced, depending on the texture you prefer. For an even more indulgent variant, you can also add some Bronte pistachio granules or whole shelled sweet pistachios.
To obtain a more regular shape, you can line a baking tray of about 8×10 inches with parchment paper and pour the mixture inside, leveling it before it starts to solidify. Proceed with cutting directly in the tray.
The almond brittle can be stored in well-sealed glass jars for at least 30-40 days.
