Recipe Box: Peanut Brittle

Making peanut brittle for the first time can be very frustrating. My first try a few years ago took 3 batches before it even began to resemble brittle. My biggest mistake was under-cooking for fear of burning, resulting in a chewy, salty mess that never reached the deep caramel color and flavor brittle should have. If you're going to make brittle, go balls-out. Don't fear the brittle.


Shirley's Peanut Brittle - Makes a little over 1 lb


Ingredients

• Vegetable oil spray
• 4 oz unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp water
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 10 oz dry roasted, lightly salted peanuts or mixed nuts (depending on the saltiness of the peanuts you get, adjust the added salt)

Method

1. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with oil. A silicone mat works, too.  Don't use a wax or paper liner of any kind. You need the surface to be about 10" x 15" with edges to help scrape extra peanuts off your spoon. Prepare all your ingredients now. There won't be time to measure later. Mix the salt and baking soda together in the same bowl and set aside with the rest of the ingredients.
2. Melt butter over very low heat in a large-bottomed, metal saucepan. Do not use a nonstick pan. Add sugar, corn syrup and water. Mix until all the sugar is wet.
3. Cook over high heat, stirring frequently with a whisk to prevent burning or boil-over. Once the mixture starts to bubble and rise, whisk constantly. Continue until mixture turns a deep golden brown, the color you expect the brittle to be.
4. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in baking soda/salt blend.
5. Switch to a wooden or metal spoon and fold in the peanuts. Work quickly, as the mixture will seize within 1-2 minutes. Pour onto the sheet pan or silicone mat and spread out as evenly as possible with the spoon.
6. Let the sheet pan of brittle cool completely, about half an hour to an hour, before breaking apart by hand or with a blunt object.

Clean up: Immediately drop empty saucepan, used spoon and whisk under screaming hot water. Continue running water over it until the hard brittle remnants melt away. Use a scrubbing sponge to help the process, just don't burn yourself. 


Happy cooking!