About This Recipe
A generous layer of sesame seeds gives this honey brittle its nutty bite. Honey makes up a substantial part of the syrup, with granulated sugar alongside it for a crisp set. A thermometer is more useful than color here: honey darkens early. Have the lined tray and measured ingredients ready before the syrup reaches its target.
Recipe
Honey Sesame Brittle with a Thin, Crisp Snap
Cook honey sesame brittle to a measured hard-crack temperature, spread it thin and let it cool. Includes thermometer and altitude guidance.
7Ingredients
Yield: 20 servings
- 140 g raw sesame seeds
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 169.5 g honey
- 60 g water
- 14 g unsalted butter
- 1.5 g table salt
- 1 g baking soda
Ingredient amounts scale; instructions show the original batch. Cooking times and pan sizes may need adjustment. Season to taste. Honey grams use US measures at 20°C and 17.5% moisture, a density estimate; weigh your honey for precision.
Instructions
- 1Prepare the tray and thermometerLine a large rimmed metal baking sheet with a heatproof silicone baking mat. Set it on a heatproof surface. Measure every ingredient before starting. Check the thermometer in boiling water and adjust the 300 F target down by the difference between 212 F and the observed boiling point.
- 2Toast the sesame seedsStir the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from the burner and keep them warm while the syrup cooks.
- 3Dissolve the sugarCombine the granulated sugar, honey and water in a deep, heavy saucepan. Stir over gentle heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a steady boil and clip on the thermometer with its probe in the syrup, clear of the pan base.
- 4Reach hard-crack temperatureCook over moderate heat to 300 F (149 C) at sea level, using the adjusted target from the thermometer check if needed. Swirl the pan gently if one area colors faster, without splashing syrup onto the sides. Use the temperature rather than amber color alone; the honey is already colored.
- 5Add the seeds and spreadRemove from the heat. Carefully stir in the butter, salt and baking soda; the syrup will foam. Fold in the warm sesame seeds. Pour immediately onto the mat and spread thinly with a heatproof spatula. Do not touch or taste the hot candy.
- 6Cool until rigidLeave undisturbed for about 1 hour, until completely cool and hard. Break into shards and divide into 20 similar portions by weight. Store in an airtight container with baking paper between layers. The 100-minute total includes the full cooling hour; cooking to temperature can take longer on a low-powered burner.
Estimated nutrition per serving
109.59 calories · 4.05 g fat · 18.62 g carbohydrate · 1.27 g protein · 44.21 mg sodium
Serving: 1 of 20 servings
Calculated from ingredient weights and USDA FoodData Central: 170150, 169655, 169640, 173647, 173430, 173468, 175040. Estimates use ingredient input weights; actual portions, brands and cooking losses vary. Omitted nutrient values are unavailable, not zero.
Use a Thermometer for the Honey Syrup
Hard-crack candy needs enough water cooked away to become brittle. The Idaho Extension chart places brittle in the 300 to 310 F sea-level range. This recipe uses the lower end, 300 F, rather than taking the honey syrup to a much darker color.
Honey and toasted seeds both contribute color. A dark-looking pan is not proof that the syrup has reached the right concentration. A measured endpoint is the useful check; the clock is an estimate.
Flavor intensity uses an editorial culinary scale: 1 is mild and 5 is bold. These are tasting suggestions, not laboratory measurements.
Sources: UC Agriculture and Natural Resources: cooking with honey; USDA FoodData Central: Seeds, sesame seeds, whole, dried; Idaho Agricultural Extension: candy temperatures and altitude.
1 = mild, 5 = bold. Editorial pairing guidance, not laboratory measurements; jars vary.
- Clover
- Toasted sesame
- Wildflower
- A fuller honey caramel
- Buckwheat
- A strong toasted flavor
Get the Honey Buyer's Cheat Sheet (free PDF)
16 varieties on one page — color, flavor, best use and what a fair price looks like — from the 304 honeys we track.
Check the Local Boiling Point
Boil water with the same thermometer before making the candy. In Fahrenheit, subtract the observed boiling temperature from 212, then subtract that difference from 300. If water reads 208 F, use a 296 F candy target.
This follows the boiling-point correction in the linked Idaho Extension bulletin. Keep the probe clear of the pan base when reading the syrup. An instant-read probe must be rated for hot sugar temperatures; a dedicated candy thermometer is easier to hold in place.
Choose a Mild Honey
Clover honey gives a clean background for sesame. Wildflower makes the honey flavor more prominent. Strongly dark honey makes judging color even harder, so it is a deliberate taste choice rather than the default here.
The honey is part of the cooked syrup, not a finishing drizzle. Do not use a general baking substitution chart to replace all the granulated sugar. For a pourable honey confection instead, try honey caramel sauce.
Warm Seeds and a Ready Tray
The last stage moves quickly. Warm sesame seeds are easier to fold into hot syrup than a cold bowlful. Keep the lined tray close enough to reach safely, with the spatula ready before you remove the pan from the burner.
The small amount of baking soda foams when mixed in, so use a saucepan with generous headroom. Spread promptly and leave the candy alone to cool. Sticky syrup is much hotter than a finished piece feels.
Serving and Storage
Break the cold sheet into small shards, then portion by weight. The recipe estimate uses one twentieth of the whole batch, including all the seeds. A few broken crumbs count as part of a portion too.
Keep the container tightly closed because moisture softens the candy. Serve brittle separately from damp desserts. For a dessert plate, add honey brownies or honey cookies rather than storing them together.
Choosing the Honey
Use Clover Honey or Wildflower Honey for the flavor described in this recipe. See our honey selection guide for other culinary choices.
