Fall recipes: Cashew brittle from Bocanova

Photo courtesy of Ashley Teplin

This is the second accompaniment to pastry chef Paul Conte of Bocanova’s creative spin on carrot cake. (Read my profile of chef Paul Conte here). He substitutes cashew brittle, atop the cream cheese ice cream, for the traditional toasted walnuts atop cream cheese frosting. Also see Part 1: Roasted Banana Cake and Part 2: Cream Cheese Ice Cream.

Cashew Brittle

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp light corn syrup
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup toasted cashews
• 1 tsp baking soda
   

Directions:
In a saucepan, cook sugar, corn syrup, and water over high heat until mixture turns light brown. Mix toasted cashews with baking soda and stir into saucepan mixture. Spread mixture out onto a silpat and let cool while preheating oven to 350 degrees. Place the hardened mixture on a cookie sheet spread with wax paper, and place in oven for 2-3 minutes; take it out of the oven and carefully stretch the sugar to make it thinner and more palatable. Continue to take the brittle in and out of the oven, softening it enough to stretch into ribbons, and cool to harden. To keep brittle crisp until using, wrap it in pieces of wax paper in an airtight Tupperware container with silica gel packets. Use to top Cream Cheese Ice Cream accompanying Roasted Banana Cake.

For more info: Bocanova, Jack London Square, 55 Webster Street, Oakland, CA 94607 (510) 444-1233

If you enjoyed reading this, check out my review of Bocanova.  And, if something exciting is going on in your neighborhood, be sure to let me know!  To receive my articles automatically, subscribe above or:

Dominique is a writer and editor based in Oakland. She reviews restaurants for Lonely Planet Publications, and her articles have appeared in national and international newspapers. You may contact her at dchannell@channelledit.com or follow her on Twitter at oakland_eats.