Ghanaian Nkatie Cake (Peanut Brittle Candy)

About This Recipe

Ghanaian Nkatie Cake is a real, traditional Ghanaian dish, known as Peanut Brittle Candy. Crunchy, caramelized peanut candy discs, a beloved sweet Ghanaian snack sold widely by roadside vendors.\n\nNkatie cake, meaning 'groundnut cake' in Twi, is a traditional Ghanaian confection made by caramelizing sugar around roasted peanuts, historically sold in small individually wrapped discs by street vendors across the country.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Ghanaian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 300 groasted, shelled peanuts
• 300 gsugar
• 100 mlwater
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 1 tbspbutter(for greasing)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the tray

   Lightly grease a baking tray or sheet of parchment with butter.

2. 2

   Toast the peanuts

   If not already roasted, toast the peanuts in a dry pan until fragrant; let cool slightly and remove skins if desired.

3. 3

   Make the caramel

   Combine sugar and water in a heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat, without stirring, until it turns a deep amber caramel color.

4. 4

   Add peanuts

   Working quickly, stir the peanuts and salt into the hot caramel until evenly coated.

5. 5

   Spread

   Immediately pour the peanut caramel mixture onto the prepared tray and spread it out thinly using a greased spatula or spoon.

6. 6

   Cool and break

   Let cool completely at room temperature until fully hardened, then break into pieces or cut into rounds before it's fully set.

Variations

• •

  Add a pinch of ground ginger to the caramel for a spiced version.

• •

  Use cashews instead of peanuts for a different but related traditional candy.

• •

  Shape into small discs using a greased mold for a neater, more traditional presentation.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions