Pumpkin Seed Candy

"Recipe from Martha Stewart. These sound great for Halloween!"
 
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photo by -Sylvie- photo by -Sylvie-
photo by -Sylvie-
photo by Jenny Sanders photo by Jenny Sanders
Ready In:
30mins
Ingredients:
4
Yields:
30 pieces
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ingredients

  • 1 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 14 cup sugar
  • 23 cup good-quality honey
  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons melted for brushing
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directions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add pepitas; toast, stirring constantly until seeds pop and become slightly golden, about 3 minutes.
  • Transfer to a bowl to cool.
  • Place sugar and honey in a small saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, about 3 minutes.
  • Add pepitas, and continue cooking until temperature registers 285° on a candy thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, and stir in cold butter.
  • Let the mixture cool to 240°, about 4 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, brush the inside of fifteen 1-inch-diameter black paper cups with melted butter, reserving 1 tablespoon.
  • Spoon a scant tablespoon of the honey mixture into each cup.
  • Brush a clean work surface with the remaining butter, and spoon the remaining honey mixture on it so mixture will continue to cool.
  • When remaining candy is stiff and cool enough to handle, about 6 minutes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces with a greased knife.
  • Wrap in cellophane.

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Reviews

  1. Not having a candy thermometer I wasn't gonna attempt this but then I read Jenny Sanders' review and thought I'll have a go too! I had to scoop mine all back into the pan and boil them a second time as I didn't leave it long enough and they wouldn't set. After that I poured it onto a tray and the mix set beautifully. I just cut it up into little squares and they are disappearing fast! I might try using sesame seeds instead of pumkin as well some time! Thanks for sharing! :)
     
  2. Well, you have to like pumpkin seeds, but if you do, this is addictive stuff! Also it's too, too, easy to make. I don't have a candy thermometer so I just followed the times given. For the second interval (3-4 minutes) I could smell the honey just starting to caramelize at the three minute mark so I removed it from the stove then. I did not follow all the fancy presentation instructions. I just waited until it was stiff enough to hold together but still soft enough to scoop, and dropped it by spoonfuls, with the help of a small silicon spatula, onto lightly oiled parchment paper. I got 21 nice sized candies. This is basically a 'peanut brittle' type candy, with the seeds instead of peanuts. The seeds have a rich musky flavour that balances the toffee coating very nicely. Now all I have to do is keep myself from snarfing them all down at once.
     
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Tweaks

  1. Well, you have to like pumpkin seeds, but if you do, this is addictive stuff! Also it's too, too, easy to make. I don't have a candy thermometer so I just followed the times given. For the second interval (3-4 minutes) I could smell the honey just starting to caramelize at the three minute mark so I removed it from the stove then. I did not follow all the fancy presentation instructions. I just waited until it was stiff enough to hold together but still soft enough to scoop, and dropped it by spoonfuls, with the help of a small silicon spatula, onto lightly oiled parchment paper. I got 21 nice sized candies. This is basically a 'peanut brittle' type candy, with the seeds instead of peanuts. The seeds have a rich musky flavour that balances the toffee coating very nicely. Now all I have to do is keep myself from snarfing them all down at once.
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I live in Omaha NE and am an audiologist at Boys Town National Research Hospital. I love to cook, as does my husband Michael. In the summer, we have a large garden and try to use alot of fresh fruits/veggies in our cooking. We have a 5 year old daughter, Kate and almost 2 year old son Sam and enjoy introducing them to new foods. One of their favorites is fresh pesto smeared on crackers!
 
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