Food of Life: Saffron Almond Brittle

The second recipe of the Food of Life series is Sohan-e qom.  This is definitely a must try!  I was immediately intrigued by the picture of this recipe. One of the things that I love about the 25th anniversary edition of Food of Life is the abundance of pictures that go with the corresponding recipes. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to make this recipe. It goes fairly quick so make sure you have all of your ingredients ready to use once you begin the process.

I have to say this brittle was a hit with everyone, especially the Sous Chef!  I took some to a picnic that we went to and everyone raved about them. In class, my students also loved them. I left the room during our break and by the time I came back all the pieces were gone!

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into cubes, or 1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons raw almonds
⅛ teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 1 tablespoon rose water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Garnish
2 tablespoons raw chopped pistachios
2 tablespoons barberries, rinsed and patted dry

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, cream, and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and bring to a boil (about 5 minutes).

Add the almonds, saffron-rose water mixture, and salt.

Increase the heat to medium-high and cook without disturbing for about 7 minutes until the mixture is a deep, golden brown (the color of peanut butter), and the top is bubbling and getting thicker. Remove from heat immediately.

Pour out the mixture onto the lined baking sheet immediately. Sprinkle the top with pistachios and barberries. Press down with a large offset spatula. Allow to cool completely (about 40 minutes). Remove from parchment paper and break into pieces. Store in an airtight glass container.

See other Food of Life series recipes:

Rice with Shrimp and Fresh Herbs Persian Gulf-Style