Peanut Brittle

There’s a magical fragrance wafting through the kitchen! Peanuts, roasting and toasting in sweet sugar, turning golden as it caramelizes. With a pinch of salt, a spoonful of soda and a touch of butter this molten goodness becomes a light, airy brittle that’s so wonderful it’s a must for the holidays!

Making candy at home is somewhat a lost art. Many are intimidated by the process and have never given it a try. With the right tools and a trick or two, making candy can be easily mastered. This recipe is a favorite of mine and was given to me by my lovely Stepmom. It differs slightly in ingredients and techniques from other brittle recipes. And the result – beautifully crunchy peanuts encased in a lighter than air brittle.

Peanut brittle starts with raw peanuts, sugar and corn syrup plus a bit of water. Once the candy has cooked to a hard crack stage, butter, kosher salt and baking soda are added.

Some items you’ll need before you start:

First, make sure you have a good candy thermometer. I use a digital thermometer making it easy to set and read. You’ll want a heavy saucepan and a sturdy wooden spoon; both are essential for cooking brittle. And a heavy, rimmed baking sheet to pour the brittle on for cooling.

Some tips I’ve learned through the years:

First, avoid making candy that needs to be cooked to a hard ball or hard crack stage on a rainy day. The candy will continue to absorb moisture from the air as it cools causing your candy to be sticky. Before you start have everything ready and at your fingertips. Butter the rimmed baking sheet along the bottom and slightly up the sides. Place it on the stovetop near the cooking brittle. Don’t ever place the rimmed baking sheet directly on a cutting board or your countertop; the extreme heat from the brittle could crack them. Trust me on this!

Place the butter in a small dish, and the baking soda and kosher salt in another. When the candy hits the desired temperature, you’ll need to act quickly. And be careful, while the brittle is in liquid form it is extremely hot and sticky!

It takes about two hours to make this wonderful brittle. It is worth every single minute of your time!

Peanut Brittle

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus extra for prepping the baking sheet

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup white corn syrup

½ cup water

3 cups granulated sugar

3 cups raw Spanish peanuts

Thoroughly butter the bottom and halfway up the sides of a large, rimmed baking sheet. Place the tablespoon of butter in a small dish and whisk together the kosher salt and baking soda in a separate dish. Have them close by and ready to stir into the brittle. Pour the corn syrup, water and sugar into a heavy saucepan. Stir to combine and cook over medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved completely.

Once the sugar has dissolved raise the heat to medium. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and set it for 295 to 300-degrees, hard crack stage. (Make certain the tip of the thermometer is not resting on the bottom of your pan.) Add the peanuts and cook, stirring occasionally until temperature reaches the 295 to 300-degree mark.

Remove the candy thermometer and working quickly add the butter, stirring until it’s completely melted and mixed into the brittle. Then add the salt and baking soda mixing well into the brittle. The brittle will foam up and change color so don’t be alarmed.

Quickly and carefully pour the brittle onto the buttered baking sheet and leave it until cool. Do not spread!

Once the brittle is completely cool, cover the pan with a large sheet of plastic wrap, flip the pan over and gently press on the bottom of the pan to release the brittle. Cover the other side of the brittle with plastic wrap. Using the heel of your hand, break the brittle into smaller pieces, taking care as the edges of the candy can be sharp. Breaking the brittle through the plastic wrap keeps the mess at a minimum.

Makes about 2-3/4 pounds of peanut brittle.