Pumpkin Seed Brittle

Directions

1. 1
   Cover a baking sheet with a piece of Silpat or other re-usable parchment, or tear off some aluminum foil and lightly oil it.
2. 2
   Dissolve the sugar, water and cream of tartar in a saucepan over a low heat.
3. 3
   Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil but do not stir.
4. 4
   Let the syrup bubble over a fairly high heat for about 10 minutes until it turns a deep golden amber color.
5. 5
   Dont be tempted to wander away, make a phone call or leave the pan unattended, as the syrup could caramelize sooner.
6. 6
   There are various factors at play here, and I know nothing of the dimensions of your pans or what materials theyre made of and thats not the whole story either.
7. 7
   Quickly tip the pumpkin seeds into the amber-colored syrup, swirl the pan so that they become evenly coated and then take off the heat.
8. 8
   Pour the syrup immediately on to the Bake-O-Glide or oiled-foil-lined tray, trying to spread the molten liquid in a thin layer.
9. 9
   It is possible to spread the brittle with a palette knife if it has mounded too much, but move fast: you will have only a short time to do this before it begins to set.
10. 10
    Leave the brittle to cool and harden completely before breaking it into pieces.
11. 11
    I rather like to leave it as it is, a wibbly-wobbly outlined disc of green-studded amber, and quite, quite beautiful, bashing it into sharp pieces at the table.