Palanquetas
Nut Brittle
Roasted peanuts or seeds are bound in a piloncillo-honey syrup cooked to the hard-crack stage (300°F) for a brittle, crackly candy that's scored while warm and snapped apart once cool.
Palanquetas
✦ Antes de Empezar
Before you cook
Why does the syrup need to reach exactly 300°F?
That's the hard-crack stage, and it's what gives palanquetas their signature crisp, brittle snap instead of a chewy, sticky texture — heat the piloncillo, honey, water, butter, lime juice, and salt to that exact point before stirring in the nuts.
Ingredientes· 4View
Brittle Mix
- 2 cupsRaw Unsalted Peanutstoasted (can substitute pumpkin seeds)
Caramel Candy
- 1.5 cupsGranulated Sugaror sub 1/2 cup piloncillo
- 1/4 cupWater
- 1 tspLime Juiceprevents sugar crystallization
Instrucciones
5 pasosPrepara la bandeja
Prep the pan
Grease a rimmed sheet pan or line it with a silicone mat.
Cocina el caramelo
Cook the caramel
Heat piloncillo, honey, water, butter, lime juice, and salt to 300°F (149°C), the hard-crack stage.
Incorpora los cacahuates
Stir in the nuts
Immediately stir in warm roasted peanuts or seeds.
Extiende la mezcla
Spread the mixture
Spread quickly in the prepared pan and press to an even thickness with an oiled spatula.
Marca y enfría
Score and cool
Score into pieces while warm, then cool completely and break apart.
Authentic Culinary Gear for this Recipe
Heritage Mexican cooking relies on dedicated craft tools to develop authentic blisters, toasts, and emulsified textures.
10.5" Heavy Cast Iron Comal
Distributes high, dry radiant heat for charring poblanos, toasting chiles, and warming tortillas.
Cast Iron Tortilla Press (8")
Heavy calibrated leverage to press fresh heirloom masa dough into thin, supple rounds with zero sticking.
Heirloom Masa & Dried Chiles
Single-origin Mexican dried chiles (Ancho, Guajillo, Pasilla) and heirloom nixtamalized corn masa.
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