Peanut Brittle is a no-frills, basic candy that is a family favorite--and pretty easy to make. I will be honest. For many years, I bought peanut brittle from a local candy store. Then--the store closed I have tasted some homemade brittle over the years that wasn't very good--and I am not an avid candy maker. I just didn't want to the time, effort and ingredients into something that may not taste as good as our local candy shop. This year, I gave in to family requests and gave making peanut brittle a try. I used a basic recipe and the candy turned out great!
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2 c. White, Granulated Sugar
1 c. Light Corn Syrup (I use Karo or Wholesome Sweeteners)
1 c. Water
1 Tbsp Butter (Plus more to butter the cookie sheets)
2 c. Peanuts (I use Dry Roasted Peanuts with Sea Salt)
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract (I use Watkins)
1 tsp. Baking Soda
Instructions for Making Peanut Brittle Candy
Prepare cookie sheets and utensils. Lightly butter two cookie sheets. You will pour the hot candy onto the cookie sheets for cooling--and the butter will keep the candy from sticking to the cookie sheet. I also like to spray the measuring cup that I will be using for the corn syrup with a little cooking spray. It helps the corn syrup slide from the measuring cup a little faster. I also spray a couple of metal spoons to use in spreading the hot sticky candy onto the cookie sheets. Set these aside.
Cook the Sugar. Add the sugar, the corn syrup and the water to a 2 quart saucepan. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan--making sure that the thermometer's tip reaches the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to cook the sugar, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches hard crack stage on the candy thermometer. This really does take several minutes--and you really do need to continue to stir to avoid burning the sugar and giving the candy a scorched flavor.
Add the Butter and Peanuts. Stir in the butter and the peanuts. I like a heavy metal spoon for this task.
Add the Vanilla and Baking Soda. Remove the pan of candy from the heat and quickly stir in the vanilla and the baking soda. The candy will turn quite foamy when the baking soda is added.
Cool the Candy. Pour the hot candy onto the two cookie sheets--trying to divide them fairly evenly. Spread the candy to very thin layers--but try to make sure that peanuts are spread along with the sugar mixture to avoid spots without nuts! Allow the candy to cool completely.
Break, Serve and Enjoy! Gently lift the slabs of candy from the cookie sheets and begin to break in a host of irregularly sized pieces and chunks. Store the candy in airtight containers until ready to eat!
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