RecipesBaking And Sweets

Peanut, black sesame and ginger brittle – Nadiya Hussain

Credit: Nadiya’s Kitchen by Nadiya Hussain (Penguin, HB, £20) “The first time I had peanut brittle was when my eldest sister, Jasmin, passed her GCSEs, and my dad’s friend bought her this tiny, unassuming bag of peanut brittle tied up with maroon ribbon.

Vegetarian
Peanut, black sesame and ginger brittle – Nadiya Hussain
Print & share:
Print:

Ingredients

For the recipe:
  • vegetable oil, for greasing
  • 150g raw skinned peanuts
  • 50g black sesame seeds
  • 3 pieces of candied ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 300g caster sugar

Credit: Nadiya’s Kitchen by Nadiya Hussain (Penguin, HB, £20)

“The first time I had peanut brittle was when my eldest sister, Jasmin, passed her GCSEs, and my dad’s friend bought her this tiny, unassuming bag of peanut brittle tied up with maroon ribbon. The funny thing is she hates peanuts – in fact, she detests nuts of any kind – so it was a jackpot for the rest of us. We held back until my dad’s friend left, but that was it. The peanut brittle was gone before he’d reached the front gate. (Bear in mind that we lived in a terraced house with a sliver of a front garden.) Then I didn’t eat brittle again until I made it a few years ago – and this is my variation of the classic, with black sesame for added drama and nuttiness, and a hint of ginger.” (Nadiya Hussain)

Makes 25 pieces

Method

01
Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 20 minutes
02
Grease and line a 15 x 20cm tin with baking paper. Toast the peanuts in a non-stick pan, until they are golden. Put them in a bowl, and use the end of a rolling pin to crush them slightly.
03
Now toast the black sesame seeds for a few minutes in the same pan, being careful not to burn them. Mix them with the toasted peanuts, and leave them to cool.
04
Rinse the pieces of candied ginger and dry them on kitchen paper, then grate them finely. Add the grated ginger to the nut mixture and stir to combine, along with the ground ginger.
05
Now put the sugar in an even layer in a heavy-based pan, over a low–medium heat. Move the pan around now and again, but do not stir the sugar. The sugar will slowly turn a golden amber colour.
06
Once all the sugar is amber, add nuts, and pour everything into the prepared tin.
07
Leave it to stand for a few minutes, as the caramel will be really hot, then take a sharp knife and score where you would like to break the brittle. Once it has completely cooled, break it into pieces.
08
The brittle can be stored in a airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Sometimes I like to whizz it up in the food processer, and use it as a crunchy coating for chocolate truffles.
09
For more information about Nadiya Hussain, please visit her website: www.nadiyahussain.com
10
If you loved this recipe, why not try other ones from her cookbook Nadiya’s Kitchen:
11
Feta & Dill Savoury Muffins
12
Parsnip & Orange Spiced Cake
13
Spiced Biscotti with an Orange Syllabub Dip
14
Chilli Cheese Burritos