Honey Sesame Brittle is crunchy, toasty, and sweet. Quick and easy to make, this shiny brittle can be shaped in candy molds or poured in one piece and broken into bite size snacks.
Why you'll love this recipe
Last year, I bought two sizes of silicone heart molds and never used them. Honestly, I forgot I had them.
When I recently unearthed the molds, I decided to make up for lost time and used the molds with three different recipes. Now I have lots of heart shaped goodies to share. The first heart-shaped recipe is for this Honey Sesame Brittle.
Brittle isn’t usually made in a mold. The standard method is to pour the candy mixture onto a non-stick surface and break it into individual pieces once the brittle hardens.
Spooning the hot mixture into silicone molds takes only a few more minutes and the results are so pretty. Shiny, amber Honey Sesame Brittle in small heart shapes is a solid piece of hard candy. The thinner, larger hearts, just like the pieces broken from poured brittle, are crunchy and bitable.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together sugar, honey, salt, and water until combined and small bubbles begin to form on the edges.
- Add the sesame seeds and stir continually until the mixture turns golden and reaches 300°F.
- Remove pan from heat and immediately stir in butter and vanilla. Mix in the baking soda. The mixture will foam slightly, creating a lighter, airier brittle.
- IF USING CANDY MOLDS: Work quickly and carefully. The mixture hardens as it cools and is very hot. Spoon the brittle into each mold.
- IF POURING OUT ONE LARGE PIECE OF BRITTLE: Cover a baking sheet with a silpat mat. Pour the hot mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Allow to cool and harden at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from candy molds or break large brittle into pieces.
Storage
Store the sesame candy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus, you’ll get more great recipes and tips from us each week!
Tips
I made several batches of Honey Sesame Brittle to try out the two molds and the non-molded method. Here are a few tips I learned.
- I’ve linked below to the exact molds I used, however, any shape of silicone mold should work as long as the shape is simple.
- The candy mixture is very hot and though fluid when poured, it’s thicker than melted chocolate and won’t flow into the edges of intricate shapes.
- Keep in mind that the thicker the brittle, the harder it will be. The next time I make brittle in the small heart mold, I won’t fill the individual heart cavities to the top. If the little hearts were bit thinner, I think they would be easier to pop into your mouth like a piece of hard candy.
- If you chose not to use a mold, be sure to pour the brittle onto a non-stick baking mat or a well buttered pan. I used a silpat mat and the hardened brittle lifted right up with no sticking.
- If you use a buttered pan, the hardened disc of brittle should lift up with a spatula. Do not try to pour brittle onto wax or parchment paper. The paper will stick to the candy.
- Honey Sesame Brittle is delicious no matter what shape it comes in. Make it thin for crunchy chewing. Make it thicker for slow, melt-in-your mouth savoring.
More silicone mold recipes
Valentine’s Day heart molds should earn their space in the kitchen cabinet. Share some love all year with a variety of heart shaped goodies.
If you love sesame flavor, next time try a sesame seed cookie with this Benne Wafers recipe!
Ready to bake? Join the free membership group to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered to your inbox! You can also stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’d love to stay in touch!
Honey Sesame Brittle
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- Pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 cup raw sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan (1 ½- 2 quarts) over medium-low heat, stir together sugar, honey, salt, and water until combined and liquid, just until small bubbles begin to form on the edges.
- Add the sesame seeds and stir continually (about 5 minutes) until the mixture turns an amber color and reaches 300°F.
- Remove pan from heat and immediately stir in butter and vanilla.
- Mix in the baking soda. The mixture will foam slightly, creating a lighter, airier brittle.
- IF USING CANDY MOLDS: Work quickly (the mixture hardens as it cools) but carefully (the mixture is very hot) spooning the brittle into each mold. If the molds are deep, fill only partially for easier eating.
- IF POURING OUT ONE LARGE PIECE OF BRITTLE: Cover a baking sheet with a silicone mat (non-stick baking mat) or butter the baking sheet. Pour the hot mixture onto the lines baking sheet. Gently shake the sheet back and forth a few times to help distribute the mixture into an even layer.
- Allow to cool and harden at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from candy molds or break large brittle into pieces.
- Store Honey Sesame Brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
Notes
- I’ve linked below to the exact molds I used, however, any shape of silicone mold should work as long as the shape is simple.
- The candy mixture is very hot and though fluid when poured, it’s thicker than melted chocolate and won’t flow into the edges of intricate shapes.
- Keep in mind that the thicker the brittle, the harder it will be. The next time I make brittle in the small heart mold, I won’t fill the individual heart cavities to the top. If the little hearts were bit thinner, I think they would be easier to pop into your mouth like a piece of hard candy.
- This sesame brittle can also be made with black sesame seeds or a combination of white sesame seeds and black sesame seeds.
Patricia
I think that 300 is about 50• too much. The mixture began to scorch at 260 . Very hard to pour, and slightly burnt.
Wendy Sondov
The only explanation I can think of is that perhaps you were heating the mixture at too high a temperature (should be medium low) or were using a thin pan and too much of the liquid evaporated. When candy making hard-ball stage is between 250-265 degrees F when the sugar concentration is up to 92%, and when dropped in water a hard ball is formed that takes some effort to squish. Next is soft-crack stage. This happens between 270-300 degrees F when the sugar concentration is 95%, and forms solid, flexible threads. You need soft-crack stage for brittle.
Earthling
Great recipe, but please don't promote the use of Ziploc bags for storage. They're non-recyclable, non-biodegradable, single-use plastic, and they go straight to landfill where they last for decades, leaching chemicals into the soil, and it's starting to find its way into our food. Please look into this, and think about it.
Wendy Sondov
I completely agree with you on the dangers of using plastic. I have spent considerable time researching and learning about this. For home storage, I advise using reusable and/or recyclable methods. Unfortunately, air is the enemy of freshness for baked goods. When trying to keep baked goods fresh for as long as possible in long distance care packages, it is essential to minimize the air exposure as much as possible. Plastic film for vacuum sealing, plastic wrap, and ziplock bags are currently the only options available. Reusable ziplock bags are cost prohibitive for frequent use in care packages. When possible, the bags used in packaging military care packages are reused for a variety of purposes by the recipient.
Toni
Your recipe is missing a few ingredients
Wendy Sondov
Hi, Toni. If you will explain the problem, I will try to help. This recipe is not missing any ingredients. Did you try the recipe?
Carlee
What a great idea! They look so tasty and the hearts are perfect!
The Monday Box
Thanks, Carlee! I love sesame candy and the heart molds make the candy so shiny!
saltandserenity
Wendy, I used to love those little packages of honey sesame candy. Your hearts are way prettier. What a great idea to pour the mixture into molds. I feel your pain of not enough storage space for all the gadgets, although my problem is more with props. I can't seem to resist buying another beautiful bowl or spoon.
The photos in this post are gorgeous. I love the first one the best. Your photography skills have improved so much this past year!
The Monday Box
This tastes just like those little rectangular candies, Cindy! (For some reason I associate them with Passover). Thanks so much for your kind comments on the photos. You know that is my greatest challenge on the blog. Six years in and I am still trying to find my "style" and learn how to properly use my camera! I don't want every photo to look the same, yet I am trying for a "signature style". Maybe in another 6 years?