Hazelnut Brittle

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Turn the nuts onto a baking sheet in a single layer and roast until fragrant and golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly; then coarsely chop and set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Generously grease or butter another piece of parchment to fit over baking sheet and set aside.

Put sugar, syrup, and butter into a small saucepan set over medium heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved, stirring with rubber spatula. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook without stirring until it reaches about 300 degrees F on a candy thermometer or until a small amount of the mixture dropped into ice water forms a brittle strand. Remove from heat.

Pour mixture out onto the prepared baking sheet and scatter the nuts on top. Place the greased parchment paper over the brittle. Careful — this mixture still is extremely hot. Protecting your hands with oven mitts or kitchen towels, press brittle into a thin, even layer. Cool completely on a wire rack and then break into pieces. Store between layers of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container.