Chocolate Dipped Nut Brittle with Sea Salt

Be careful - this is highly addictive!

½ cup walnut pieces

½ cup pecan pieces

½ cup pine nuts

½ cup slivered almonds

¼ cup unsalted butter cut into pieces

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

½ cup white corn syrup

1 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces

1 tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Spread all the nuts on ungreased baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 10 min.  Stirring once. Let nuts cool completely.
2. Line a shallow rimmed 15 ½ x 10 baking sheet with parchment paper and grease lightly with butter.  In a small bowl, place butter, vanilla and baking soda (no need to blend; set aside.
3. In a heavy bottomed saucepan over high heat, bring sugar, corn syrup and 1/3 cup water to a boil, uncovered.  While sugar cooks, brush down the sides of pan with cool water.  Boil sugar over high heat until it turns a light amber colour about 12 min.  Remove from heat and quickly stir in butter, vanilla and baking soda with a wooden spoon (the baking soda will make it foamy).  Stir in nuts until coated and spoon mixture onto prepared baking tray.  Spread brittle as thinly as possible.  Let brittle cool completely at room temperature.
4. Melt chocolate chips in microwave on medium, stirring every 10 sec. until melted.  Crack brittle into desired serving pieces and dip halfway into melted chocolate and place back onto greased parchment lined baking tray.  Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and allow chocolate to set.