Pistachio Praline

This recipe is the praline/brittle that dresses the dark chocolate pudding recipe. It is a basic brittle but uses pistachios where I have not used that nut in the past for a praline. It is great as a candy snack or to top the pudding recipe. In the original recipe it called for the praline to be broken and then pulsed in a food processor into smaller pieces. My processor created a mixture of dust and pieces so I would recommend you just break it by hand and that way you can control the size. It looks better that way.

Recipe

Pistachio Praline

3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup unsalted natural pistachios, lightly toasted

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Mix the sugar and water in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil caramel without stirring until a deep amber color is reached. During this phase swirl the pan occasionally and brush down the sides with a spatula. The process should take about 6 minutes. Stir in the pistachios until they are coated evenly with the caramel mixture. Transfer this very hot mixture to the baking sheet and quickly spread out the mixture to form an even layer. Let the mixture cool completely.

Peel the mixture from the foil breaking it into pieces as you would with brittle.

Notes:

This can be made 1 week in advance of using if kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Using a candy thermometer may help maintain the temperature so you do not overheat the mixture.
This is a candy like mixture that is extremely hot. Be careful not to touch it.

Yield: 1 cup

Source: The Sandbar Restaurant, Vancouver BC