Italian Almond Brittle (Mandorle Croccanti)
Mandorle Croccanti is a traditional Italian almond brittle made with whole almonds coated in golden homemade caramel. This crunchy Italian candy is easy to prepare and perfect for holiday dessert trays, gifting, and sharing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole raw almonds
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 Tbsp. colorful nonpareils (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast almonds for 8–10 minutes. Keep warm.
- Combine sugar and water in a heavy saucepan.
- Heat until sugar dissolves, then boil without stirring until the caramel reaches approximately 340°F and turns amber. Approximately 8–12 minutes
- Quickly stir in the warm almonds.
- Immediately spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with nonpareils while still hot.
- Cool completely before cutting or breaking into pieces.
Notes
Chef's Tip: Have your baking sheet lined with parchment paper and your almonds lightly toasted and warm before you begin making the caramel. Once the caramel reaches a golden amber color, work quickly to coat the almonds and spread the mixture before it hardens. Be careful when handling hot caramel, as it can cause serious burns. For the best crunch, allow the candy to cool completely before cutting or breaking it into pieces.
Tip text