This time of the year, peanut brittle is sentimental to my family. My Grandma would make several homemade Christmas candies, and the one that stands out the most to me is peanut brittle. I've made it before, but it can be tricky to get it right. This year, it took me a couple of tries to get it perfect. I learned, though, that if it goes wrong, you can still rinse the peanuts, let them dry overnight, and try the next day. I think all the trouble is worth the payoff, and I feel some members of my family are counting on me to have this treat at the family Christmas party.
Peanut Brittle
Prep 5 min
cook: 20-45 minutes
cool time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of white sugar
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups of salted roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons of butter (salted or unsalted is fine)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla (extract or imitation is fine
Directions:
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. set aside.
- Measure all your ingredients and have them ready to go into the pot.
- Add sugar and water to a large pot and stir to combine.
- Stir in corn syrup
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it comes to a gentle boil. (You may be tempted to raise the heat, but don't do it; You won't be able to stir fast enough to keep the thick mixture from burning.)
- Attach a candy thermometer, make sure it's submerged in the liquid and not touching the bottom of the pot.
- Cook the mixture until it reaches 250°F
- Add the peanuts and stir constantly until the temperature reaches 300°F. This temperature will create the Hard Crack we want. (This may take a while, so make sure you're entertained.)
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, baking soda, and vanilla. This needs to be very quick; the mixture will start to set very quickly. The baking soda will make the mixture foam, and the texture will change. This is why you need a big pot. (You do not want to clean up that overflow mess)
- Carefully pour the mixture on your prepared lined cookie sheet.
- Use a knife or a metal spoon to quickly spread the mixture into an even layer.
- Allow the peanut brittle to cool completely for about 30 minutes. the baking sheet will be hot.
- Break your peanut brittle in any way you like, bite-sized or bigger.
- Store your peanut brittle in an air-tight container.
Peanut brittle stays fresh at room temperature for 6 to 8 weeks! Do not refrigerate; the moisture in the fridge will cause the brittle to soften. You could also store this in the freezer if you would like to make it into a cold treat. I bet it would be amazing on ice cream.
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