This
wonderful Brown Sugar Peanut Brittle recipe and photos are
courtesy of Cynthia Detterick-Pineda of Andrews, TX.
Check out more of Cynthia's
Southwest Recipes.
More wonderful
Candy Recipes.
Brown Sugar Peanut Brittle
Recipe Type:
Candy,
Peanuts
Yields:
2 pounds
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 to 3 cups shelled raw peanuts
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Preparation:
Butter a baking pan or
Cookie Sheets (with sides)
or line with
Silicone Baking Mats; set
aside.
In a large heavy sauce pan (at least 3-quart size), combine
granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, water and salt. Cook over medium high
heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring constantly,
until the mixture comes just to a full boil.
Stir in the butter. Continue to
cook, without stirring, until a
candy thermometer reached 230 degrees F. Once it has
reached this temperature a thread should form when the spoon is dipped into the
mixture and lifted up. Cook and stir until you reach 280 degrees F, or the soft
crack stage. (If you don’t have a
candy thermometer, place a small drop of the
mixture into a bowl with room temperature water, the mixture should be make a
firm ball that is slightly crunchy).
When you have reached 290 degrees F, add the peanuts (all
at once) and stir in. Continue to stir constantly until you reach 300 degrees F,
or the hard crack stage (a small amount of the mixture will make a hard ball
when dropped into the water). I was taught to keep on
stirring until you hear the peanuts begin to “pop”, and then remove the pot from
the heat.
Stir in the baking soda, and mix well.
It is going to “foam” up, which is what gives you light,
airy brittle. Stir it well, but don’t stir it all the way flat, unless you
really want flat hard crunchy brittle.
Pour
the candy onto a buttered cookie sheet. Tilt, shake and “shimmy” the candy until
is has spread out as far as possible on the pan.
Allow to cool until it is room temperature, then lift the
pan up and drop it onto the table (at least that is how I
do it, you can crack it into pieces with the back of a heavy knife, or even with
your hands if you wish.)
You now have about 2 pounds of wonderful, crunchy peanut
brittle! So enjoy!
