Brown Butter Ice Cream Sundae
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Ingredients:
4 oz stick butter
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon large flake sea salt
Instructions:
Cook the butter to medium brown on the stove top and set aside to cool slightly.
Bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa and salt
and stir well. Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat to low. Cook, covered, without stirring until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from the heat and spread into a thin layer on a baking sheet to steam dry.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper and grease the paper with nonstick cooking spray.
In a heavy saucepot, stir together the sugar and water. Place the pot over medium-high heat and cook, swirling the pot occasionally as the sugar melts; do not stir. If you notice crystals forming around the side of the pot, wipe the inside with a brush moistened with water to wash the crystals back into the caramel.
Making caramel can be a bit tricky, if any small solid get introduced to the pan, the sugar will begin to crystalize around it and ruin the caramel. This is why you should avoid stirring and only use water to clean down the edges of the pot.
Continue cooking the caramel at a simmer until it has a deep brown color, 12 to 15 minutes.
The temperature should register between 330 ̊F and 350 ̊F on a candy or deep- fry thermometer. As soon as the caramel is ready, reduce the heat and stir in the quinoa, brown butter and vanilla. Mix gently to avoid splattering or spilling the caramel. Cook 3-5 minutes more to expel any remaining moisture from the quinoa. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sesame seeds. 1⁄2
It is important to make sure you cook out all of the moisture in this step or the brittle will not get crunchy. If you find your caramel a bit soft, spreading it into a thin layer on a silicon baking mat and placing in the oven at 325 ̊F for 10-20 minutes may help eliminate the excess water.