Peanut Brittle

How do you make Peanut Brittle?

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cover the aluminum foil with butter and place in the oven to warm. Warming the pan will help with the spreading of the brittle

Now, in a heavy medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan and bring the contents of the pan to a boil over medium heat, stirring very frequently with a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula to dissolve the sugar. When you reach a boil, add the roasted peanuts and continue cooking until the temperature reaches 300 degrees.

Grab the baking sheet from the oven. Immediately remove the peanut brittle from the heat and stir in the butter, baking soda, and vanilla. Be careful, as it will foam up and change texture. Quickly but carefully pour the caramel mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in a circle or line and tilt to spread the candy to an even layer. Things go very quickly, so have everything ready to go. Let the brittle cool at room temperature before breaking into pieces.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

• Buy good quality salted roasted peanuts. You can use unsalted peanuts but add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the pot with the sugar, corn syrup, and water before bringing it to a boil.
• Making candy is a pretty precise business as a chemical reaction is taking place so invest in a candy/deep fry thermometer to achieve the desired texture for this peanut brittle and all your candy recipes. They are fairly inexpensive and a necessity for making great candy.
• The purpose of the baking soda is to provide those familiar air pockets in peanut brittle that make it easier to bite down and break easily with your teeth.
• Honey or molasses can be substituted for the corn syrup.
• Other nuts that work with this recipe include walnuts, almonds, pecans, macadamia nuts, and pistachios.
• This recipe goes very quickly, so make sure you have everything measured, close by, and ready to go.
• Please be very careful as the candy mixture gets extremely hot. Wear oven mitts and keep your arms covered. Take precautions to keep children and pets away while you are making candy.
• Don’t skip the step in which you heat the baking sheet while you make the candy. The heated surface really helps spread the candy by tilting and shaking the baking sheet.

Storage

Once cooled, store peanut brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for 6-8 weeks. Do not refrigerate it. The moisture from the fridge will change the texture.

To freeze, first cool completely. Then break it into pieces. Place the pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and place it on a flat-level surface in the freezer. Freeze the pieces for a couple of hours. Then place the frozen candy in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months.

Nutrition