Meet Autumn’s Hottest Treat: Chocolate-Covered Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Plain old peanut brittle gets a flavor-forward update in this recipe. Here, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, and cardamom elevate the simple candy while a dark chocolate and sea salt coating cranks up the flavor. Your holiday guests won’t be able to stop nibbling on this treat!

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Yield: 20 pieces
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped
Maldon sea salt, for garnish
Nonstick cooking spray

Special equipment: candy thermometer

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.

In a medium sized saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil while stirring. Cook until sugar dissolves and then cook, without stirring, for 6 minutes or until liquid is golden and temperature reaches 235 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in cardamom, pumpkin seeds, and pine nuts. Return to heat and cook 3 minutes more, stirring all the while.

Carefully pour hot mixture onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread thinly with a spatula. Immediately cut into long rectangles about one inch wide and let cool completely.

After brittle has cooled, melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a double boiler. Dip ends of brittle in chocolate and place on a fresh piece of parchment paper. Sprinkle with Maldon salt and cool until chocolate is firm.

Photo credit: Paul Delmont