Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable (77 page)

Yield:

About 40 candies

Storage:

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week.

General Description:

Croquant—the French version of brittle—is made of delicate, wafer-thin sheets of caramelized sugar studded with slivers of nuts
. Whereas the North American brittles are meant to eaten on their own, croquant is typically used as a garnish or ingredient for other desserts. Like
praline
, it is ground into shards or a fine powder and used as a layer in cakes or a filling for chocolates. Some chefs use the terms
croquant
and
nougatine
interchangeably; both refer to a confection that can be enjoyed as a petit four or used to add a crisp, nutty filling to a dessert.

History:

Croquant
means “crunchy” in French, which makes the name as appropriate for this confection as the English “brittle.” However, sometimes
croquant
is used in France to refer to similarly crunchy candies or foodstuffs.
Nougatine
is a darker, denser version of nougat made only with sugar and nuts, but it is nearly identical to croquant.

Serving Suggestions:

Substitute other nuts for the almonds if you wish; just be sure they are finely chopped so the croquant will be thin. Pieces of croquant are the perfect way to top a cake or scoop of ice cream. You can also spread a layer of tempered chocolate on one side, like
almond buttercrunch
, for a rich, indulgent treat.

Candy-Making Notes:

Like all brittles, croquant is sensitive to humidity and best made on a dry day. If the weather is humid, the brittle may not set up properly and will remain sticky and chewy.

Recipe:

1.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or coat with cooking spray.

2.
Place sugar and ¼ cup water in a saucepan, with the sugar completely covered with water. Bring it to a boil over high heat.

3.
Continue cooking until mixture reaches 250°F. Add butter, vanilla extract, and salt and stir to combine.

4.
Continue cooking until mixture reaches 290°F. Remove from heat and stir in almonds.

5.
Pour mixture onto the baking sheet, spreading as evenly and thinly as possible.

6.
When croquant has set, break into pieces.

Yield:

About 50 pieces

Storage:

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

General Description:

Dragées are nuts or other sweet treats that have been coated with a sugary shell
. The word
dragée
comes from the French for “to dredge”—an appropriate name since the candy is made by dredging nuts through a sweet coating.
Jordan almonds
are the best-known dragées, and the two terms have become nearly synonymous. Any sugar-coated confection can be called a dragée; the French consider
pralines
to be dragées. One version takes the praline a step further and covers the nuts in chocolate and cocoa powder, creating a rich, indulgent treat. This form of dragée is the easiest to reproduce at home, and is the recipe given on the opposite page.