Just like the popular candy store, this California Brittle is chocolate full of nuts, caramel crunch, and dipped in a delicious milk chocolate.
Well, we are in the last stretch before Christmas. Personally I can’t believe it, and am no where near ready! Thankfully the kids are now out of school and we can concentrate on some quality family baking time. We still have about 20 people in which we need to gift a box of cookies to and a cookie exchange this weekend!
Normally our boxes are half cookies and half homemade candies. I usually bake with the kids during the day and make the candy at night. Combining butter and sugar to the perfect degree is not only calming to me but it is also therapeutic.
As a big fan of See’s Candies, I knew that this was the year that I try and recreate the famous California Brittle. If you have never had a California Brittle, it is a cross between toffee and brittle, but made with almonds and dipped in chocolate. I figured since it was a cross, I would combine the two recipes. Can I just say that this may be my favorite candy recipe ever! I was so pleasantly surprised that the first batch came out so well, that I immediately made a second batch to test it. Both times the results were fantastic!!!! By the second batch I did not have enough almonds so I compensated with other nuts. I actually liked the second batch better, so I would suggest using a mix of slivered almonds, pecans, and walnuts.
One thing I always emphasize during the holidays is to use quality ingredients. They really make a huge difference in the end result. One of my favorite products is Plugrá European Style Butter. In fact, I have talked about them so much that they asked me to become a Brand Ambassador!
I only use Plugrá Butter in my candy making because it produces the smoothest and creamiest caramels and toffees! Plugrá Butter is slow-churned which creates less moisture and a creamier texture. This is also my go to butter for perfect pie crusts!
Although this recipe requires a candy thermometer it is not difficult, and totally worth the effort. The only thing you need to worry about is not eating it all yourself and being able to save some for the cookie boxes!
- 2 cups unsalted butter
- 1 and 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups almonds or whatever nut you prefer
- 2 cups melting chocolate
- Line a 11x13 inch baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray
- In a large pot, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, salt, and water.
- Heat on medium heat until mixture reaches 300 degrees on your candy thermometer.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda.
- Stir in nuts.
- Very carefully pour into pan.
- Allow to cool thoroughly and cut into bit sized pieces.
- Heat melting chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute.
- Stir and if needed heat again for increments of 10 seconds until melted (stirring in between).
- Dip cooled brittle pieces into chocolate and cool until chocolate is hard.
This post is sponsored by Plugrá butter however all opinions are my own.
Hello, Thank you for sharing your California Brittle recipe. I hope that you can help me. I made it following your recipe and it came out crumbly. The flavor seems perfect but it just crumbles when I pick up a piece. Do you have any idea what I did wrong? I even used the same butter that you use.
Thank you in advance for any help you can give me.
I take it yours at least hardened? Mine did not and they came out grainy. No idea what happened.
I think that you might have over-cooked your candy. I don’t make candy often, but when that has happened to me it is usually because I cooked at too high a heat and cooked too long.
I followed your recipe exactly and it came out AWESOME! It took a while to get the candy to 300 degrees but it was worth every minute. It was perfect, my family absolutely loved the candy. And it made the house smell so delicious. I did put the candy in my baker gifts and everyone loved it. I even had one friend say that there was no way I made that. Thank you, this recipe is printed and in my favorite holiday baking file.
What kind of brown sugar did you use – dark or light? I have to ask because I have found that it makes a difference in both the spreading of a product as well as the taste.
did you add roasted nuts? or raw?
Would you mind posting a picture of the 11’x13″ pan that you used? I fabricated my own “receptacle” of 11×13 and the recipe came out great… but it would be convenient not to have to make a pan. I have dozens of different sized pans, but none are 11×13. Is this some specialty pan you’re using?
This should be just a half sheet pan- what most people use for baking cookies. Used to be called a jelly troll pan because classic cookie sheets do not have the 1 inch lip siding.