Snowflake Brittle

Ingredients

• 20 g unsalted butter
• 75 g marshmallows
• 40 g full-fat milk powder
• 60 g mixed nuts
• 75 g biscuits

Method

Melt the butter over a low heat in a non-stick pan — this is crucial because marshmallows catch and burn easily. Once foaming, add the marshmallows and stir constantly with a spatula. They'll soften within two minutes, then begin to collapse into the fat. Keep stirring until you have a uniform, glossy paste with no white lumps visible. This happens because the gelatin matrix in the marshmallow breaks down as heat softens the sugar-starch structure. Add the milk powder and stir for thirty seconds to fully incorporate — you'll feel the mixture thicken noticeably as the powder absorbs the fat. Remove from the heat immediately; any further cooking will toughen the final texture.

While the mixture is still hot enough to work with, fold in the nuts and biscuits. Break any biscuit larger than a one-yuan coin into smaller shards first — this matters for even distribution and bite. Stir until the biscuits and nuts are coated throughout. The mixture will begin to firm as it cools; you're aiming for a texture that's still cohesive but no longer liquid. This is no-bake candy-making at its most practical — no thermometer, no tempering, just the residual heat doing the work.

Once you can hold the mixture against your palm without discomfort (roughly three to four minutes), put on a disposable glove and work it by hand. Stretch and fold it repeatedly, pressing the biscuits and nuts into the marshmallow base. This texture-control step prevents the biscuits from settling to the bottom and ensures an even distribution of structure throughout. The mixture becomes smoother and more unified as you work it — stop once you've achieved that.

Press firmly into your moulding|mould, paying particular attention to the corners and edges where gaps form easily. Use a rolling pin to flatten the surface, then allow it to set at room temperature for at least two hours. Once fully firm, turn out and cut along any mould lines or into uniform pieces. Dust each piece thoroughly with the remaining milk powder on all sides — this final coat provides both visual definition and a slight crunch that contrasts the chewy interior. The brittle will keep in an airtight container for five days.