Savoury praline

This a ‘sort of’ savoury version of a praline and makes for a tasty snack or a decoration for robust savoury dishes.

Ingredients

  • 100g caster sugar
  • 30g white sesame seeds
  • 30g black sesame seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 1 teaspoon of ground seaweed flakes
  • 1 tablespoon of water

Method

Start out with a cold pan and add the sugar followed by water.
Keep the heat low to start with.
It should melt slowly but visibly, and with minimal bubbling.
Don’t be tempted to stir too much, jut leave the sugar to melt.
Vigorous stirring brings the solution into contact with the sides of the pan, where sudden temperature increases are likely.
This could then lead to the sugar re-crystallising and ruining the whole batch.
A mug of water and a pastry brush can be useful here. If you do see bubbling at the edge of the pan, brush a little water just above it to interrupt the crystallisation.
Once the melted sugar is starting to colour, feel free to gently stir or swirl the pan to promote even caramelisation.
Once it has liquified, raise the heat.
Once it reaches the desired colour, add the nuts and turn off the heat.
Add the seeds, chilli and seaweed.
Give it a stir or swirl the pan to coat and distribute the ingredients properly, then pour immediately onto a metal tray lined with baking parchment.
Leave to cool undisturbed, then it’s ready to use.