Cinnamon and Sunflower Seed Brittle

You know this recipe actually called for pumpkin seeds but our local grocery doesn't carry them and I am so not doing it myself. I don't have little ones and feel no need to carve a pumpkin when I have a porch full of plastic plug in jack o' lanterns already on display. I refuse. So I improvised and decided to use sunflower seeds. Check it out...

1/4 cup butter, cut into chunks, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups honey roasted or just toasted hulled sunflower seeds

1. Lightly butter a 10- by 15-in. baking pan. In a small bowl, stir baking soda in vanilla to dissolve; set aside. In another bowl, stir together cinnamon and salt (to help the cinnamon distribute evenly when it's stirred into the sugar mixture).

2. In a 4- to 5-qt. saucepan over medium-low heat, use a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to stir together sugar, 1/2 cup water, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup butter until butter is melted and sugar is completely dissolved (see Caramelizing Sugar below). Increase heat to medium and boil sugar mixture, stirring occasionally, until it turns a deep amber and measures 335° to 340° on a candy thermometer (see Using a Candy Thermometer below).

3. Remove sugar mixture from heat and carefully stir in vanilla and cinnamon mixtures (they will bubble up). Immediately stir in pumpkin seeds and pour into prepared pan, using spatula or wooden spoon to evenly spread and fill pan. Let brittle cool at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes.

4. Gently twist pan to release brittle (if necessary, run a heatproof spatula underneath brittle to help release it), then chop or break it into chunks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Caramelizing sugar: Watch closely. Sugar cooks quickly once it begins to brown, so have your ingredients measured and your tools assembled before you start. Before bringing your sugar mixture to a boil, make sure you completely dissolve the sugar and melt the butter: Stir the mixture with a flexible heatproof spatula over medium-low heat, running the spatula around the inside of the saucepan a few times to thoroughly mix everything together.

Michael loves this- so do I- I packed up a whole lot of it, made 2 batches, and am taking them around to everyone. You have to try this recipe.

Boo Yum Y'all,