Piacenza brittle with nuts, a delicious dessert that I love very much and prepare in all seasons. The base is caramel, made with sugar and nuts, which can be hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds, as you prefer.
Relatively simple to make, in this case, you only need 2 ingredients, sugar and nuts of your choice. The sugar should be caramelized at a temperature of about 340°F to achieve a perfect brittleness, and the nuts should be slightly heated in the oven to prevent thermal shock that could damage the caramel. It’s an old and humble dessert, typical of many Italian localities, like my hometown. You can find it almost everywhere, and it is easy to prepare even at home, just use some small tips I described above.
Below are other Piacenza recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter, and Spring, Christmas
- Energy 329.12 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 36.63 (g) of which sugars 32.82 (g)
- Proteins 4.51 (g)
- Fat 20.72 (g) of which saturated 1.63 (g)of which unsaturated 18.18 (g)
- Fibers 2.82 (g)
- Sodium 0.30 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 60 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4 oz sugar
- 4 oz toasted hazelnuts (almonds, or walnuts)
- as needed vegetable oil
Tools
- Spatulas Amazon Basics – Silicone Spatulas, Set of 3 Pieces
- Cutting Board Marble Pastry Board, Multifunctional Marble Cutting Board, Excellent Stability, Very Suitable to Keep Dough Fresh and Temper Chocolate, Knead, Bake, Cooking Preparation Space
- Saucepan Megafesa Dolomiti – Saucepan, 16 cm Diameter, Marengo Grey Color
Steps for Piacenza Brittle with Nuts
In a saucepan, melt the sugar without adding water, stirring to avoid burning it. Stop stirring once the sugar is completely melted
Let the sugar cook until it reaches a temperature of about 340°F (to purchase a food thermometer you can click here), and it will start to darken. Meanwhile, heat the nuts in the oven for a few minutes, then pour them into the caramel. Stir to mix the nuts well with the caramel, it will take about 2 to 5 minutes, then turn off the heat
Pour the mixture onto a marble or non-stick surface (parchment paper works as well), flatten and level it several times with the help of a spatula lightly coated with oil, or you can level it with half a lemon. This way, the caramel will spread better. Let it cool and then cut as desired
Storage of Piacenza Brittle with Nuts
The brittle should be stored in a cool, dry place, never in the fridge. It can be kept for a month in a glass jar or tin boxes lined with parchment paper
