Peanut brittle is such a classic holiday gift. Don’t buy an expensive package of it this year! Buy a few half sized mason jars, make your own brittle and wrap with pretty bows! Brittle usually gets a bad rap, but it’s really not difficult. The only complication you would have is if you walk away from it, it will burn. If you don’t, then you’ll be golden! Having patience, young padawan, is the KEY to making beautiful brittle!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbl butter
1 cup peanuts (unroasted for that classic peanut brittle taste)
In a saucepan, add the water, sugar and corn syrup. Stir and cook over a medium flame until a candy thermometer reaches 240º F.
If you do NOT have a thermometer, here’s what you do. Take a very small cup of cold water and drop a bit of the mixture in. If it dissolves into the water, it’s not ready. Mine took 18 minutes to reach the correct temperature, so around 15 minutes start trying the water test. When it turns into a hard goo in the water upon being dropped in, then it’s ready! (Watch the video to see what it should look like!)
Mix the baking soda, water and vanilla together. Set aside so it’s ready to grab later.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you are doubling the recipe, line 2 baking sheets so you are prepared!
When your mixture is at the right temperature, add the butter and peanuts. Stir and now you are waiting for it to heat up to 300º. Here is where there is potential to make a boo boo. Don’t walk away! Stay by it and stir frequently. If you want to be safe, I’d say stir once every minute. The peanuts can burn at the bottom of the pot if they are sitting there not moving. And if they do, the pot starts smoking and the smell will be unbearable! Check out what mine looked like after my first attempt… 🙂
Some people LOVE stuff burned. Me, not so much. My Poppou was thrilled when I brought him this completely burned batch! He didn’t have to know that I sacrificed my contacts from all of the smoke that was a result of the burning 😉
Should take about 10 minutes to get up to300º. Drop some of the peanuts into the cold water again. If they come out hard and look like brittle, then it’s ready!
Immediately take off the heat and stir in the baking soda mixture we made earlier. Then pour all over the parchment. It will harden quickly so pour quickly and then spread out quickly or it will be VERY thick. Buttering a spatula will make it easier to spread. But if you do that, make sure it’s pre buttered, or else while you are buttering it, it will harden and be too late!
In about 30 minutes, it will harden, then you can break into pieces and pop one in your mouth! Mmm. The buttery, peanut, sugar flavor is just divine.
Enjoy! And send me a picture if you make it!!!
Stephanie
FAQs
If you do NOT have a thermometer, here's what you do. Take a very small cup of cold water and drop a bit of the mixture in. If it dissolves into the water, it's not ready.
Why didn't my peanut brittle get hard? ›
The main reason why peanut brittle doesn't get hard and have the crunch we expect is because the sugar was not cooked long enough. The sugar needs to be cooked to what is called the hard crack stage, 300ºF.
Why add baking soda to peanut brittle? ›
Baking soda is also very important at this stage since it reacts to the heat, creating carbon dioxide that aerates the caramel, enabling it to snap when someone bites into it rather than requiring them to gnaw at it until it breaks or pulls apart.
Can you put peanut brittle on parchment paper? ›
You'll also want to prepare a baking sheet, with either a silicone mat or parchment paper. The mat/paper will help ensure the peanut brittle doesn't stick directly to pan once it has cooled.
How do you know if you have a hard crack stage without a thermometer? ›
Hard Crack: With a clean spoon, when the syrup dropped into ice water it separates into hard, brittle threads that break when bent. You can actually hear a crack when the syrup hits the cold water.
How to tell if candy is 300 degrees? ›
300° F–310° F
The hard-crack stage is the highest temperature you are likely to see specified in a candy recipe. At these temperatures, there is almost no water left in the syrup. Drop a little of the molten syrup in cold water and it will form hard, brittle threads that break when bent.
Can you overcook peanut brittle? ›
If you overcook the brittle, it could be bitter or burnt. If you undercook it, the brittle won't properly set and the end result will be sticky.
Why did my peanut brittle get sticky? ›
As we said, the biggest enemy to the longevity of your peanut brittle is moisture. Whether it's during the cooking, cooling, or storage process, moisture and humidity can ruin the best batch of brittle in minutes, leaving you with a soggy, sticky mess.
Why does my peanut brittle have bubbles? ›
As the sugar is cooking and begins turning amber in color it accumulates small amounts of acid, and that acid reacts chemically with the alkaline baking soda releasing about a zillion minuscule bubbles of CO2 that get trapped, making the sugar porous and, well… brittle.
How do you fix failed peanut brittle? ›
Why Is My Peanut Brittle Chewy / Sticky / Didn't Harden?
- Break up the brittle and place it in a glass, microwave-safe bowl. Heat on HIGH heat 1-2 minutes until soft and semi-melted. ...
- Transfer the semi-melted brittle to a a clean saucepan. ...
- Immediately remove from the heat and add additional 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
To store: Store peanut brittle (once it's completely cooled) in an airtight container at room temperature. Do not refrigerate as the moisture from the fridge will cause the brittle to soften. Store for 6-8 weeks. To freeze: Peanut brittle can be frozen and stored up to 3 months.
What is the best pan for making peanut brittle? ›
Heavy 6 quart Dutch Oven pot. Mine is an old 1970's Club Aluminum. It's perfect! You need a heavy THICK pot so it won't scorch.
What to use if you don't have a candy thermometer? ›
Cold water is one of the most common methods for testing candy temperature without a thermometer. To use this method, place a small piece of the candy in cold water and wait a few minutes. If the candy hardens, it is ready to be used. If it does not harden, it is still being prepared.
What to do if you don't have a sugar thermometer? ›
To check your sugar syrup has reached the correct stage without using a sugar thermometer, place a bowl of very cold water next to the hob. Using a clean spoon, carefully take a little of the syrup and drop it into the bowl of cold water. Leave to cool for a moment then pick up the ball of syrup.
How to measure temperature without a thermometer? ›
There are several ways to determine temperature without a thermometer, but one common method is to use a temperature-sensitive material with a known melting or boiling point. For example, you can use ice, which melts at 0°C (32°F), or a substance like paraffin wax, which has a specific melting point.
