Last week, my daughter came out of the elementary age "camp" at daycare talking about a movie she had seen that day. She was full of golden tickets and candy descriptions, so I immediately asked if it was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She very excitedly told me yes...and then begged to make candy. I told her it was a tough thing to make and that it usually involved very hot sugar to make candy, and I wasn't sure she was ready for it.

The next day, she asked again if I would make candy with her. As you have probably realized if you have read many posts here at Architecture of a Mom, I want to encourage my children's passions, and Lil Bit's definitely got a passion for cooking, so I started brainstorming how to make candy with her. At first, I thought I'd make some Cocoa Peanut Butter Fudge with her, but then my mom suggested that I try making brittle.

I've always been intimidated by making peanut brittle. My grandma always made it, but I can remember that it didn't always turn out. Now, I know that candy can  be affected by the weather in inaccuracies in measurement. But knowing why candy making goes wrong doesn't keep me from being intimidated.

Anyway, I did a little bit of research and realized that my fear was unfounded and that I could make a nut brittle with ingredients I already had in the house, and I could make it in the microwave, so Lil Bit could help me, with a little bit of prep. So off we went to create a new pecan brittle with our favorite spices--cinnamon and cloves.

Here's how you make it:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup pecans, broken
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda

Prepare a rimmed cookie sheet by lining it with piece of parchment paper. Set aside. In a 4 cup glass measuring cup, mix together corn syrup, sugar, and salt. Microwave on high for 5 minutes.


Carefully add pecans, stir, and microwave 3 more minutes. Stir in butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and cloves. Microwave for 45 more seconds--the mixture will be light brown. Stir in baking powder--the mixture will lighten and bubble. Quickly pour the mixture onto the parchment paper and spread out as thinly as possible with a greased spoon.


Allow to cool and break apart. Enjoy, and feel confident in your candy making skills.

Willy Wonka would be proud