Sweet and Salty Olive Candy

Monday, April 2, 2007 - by Michelle

Two creative chefs in Winnipeg recently came up with a recipe for candy that helped them win the Gold Medal Plates Canadian Culinary Championships, and all they needed to do was create olive brittle. Minced kalamata olives were coated with caramel to create the award-winning treat, but since I’m not a fan of kalamatas, I’m not sure how this would actually taste. I guess everything should taste better with caramel…right?

Here’s the recipe, for those adventurous enough to try it out themselves:

Olive Candy
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and minced
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water

- Mince olives and air-dry overnight.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle with olive pieces.
- Combine sugar and water in a pot over low heat. Stir to dissolve. Cook over low heat until caramel forms.
- Pour caramel over olive pieces. Let harden. Smash brittle into small pieces.

Strangely enough, I’ve tasted a snack that can best be described as sweet olive candy. Preserved Chinese olives are available at certain candy stores in Hawai’i, where they’re sold under the name “footballs”. They’re sweet and crunchy, and they snap like a certain brand of fresh pickles. However, they’re quite a bit larger than the traditional olives most of us are used to, and I assume they’re from a completely different type of tree. It’s not my favorite dried fruit snack, but not one I’d pass up either.

• Sweet and Salty Olive Candy

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