My mom loved peanut brittle. While she really liked eating it, she seemed to get more joy from making it. She seemed to find delight every time the hot mixture would foam after baking soda was added. She also found satisfaction in breaking up the hardened slab into gifting or bite-size pieces.
I still find joy and satisfaction in those same experiences.
We made a lot of peanut brittle over the years, especially over the two years when we were raising money for our Girl Scout troop’s trip to England. It was popular at bake sales and church bazaars.
I still like to make it to give to people. I believe that I have passed along the joy of making peanut brittle to my daughter. However, like my mom, she prefers her peanut brittle to be cooked to a slightly higher temperature and a deeper color/flavor than I like the most.
Frankly, anything from soft to hard crack produces delicious brittle. The rich flavor the more caramelized sugar is delicious. However, cooking it to just past the “soft crack” mark produces a brittle that reminds me of Planter’s Peanut Bars.
I would frequently eat Peanut Bars for quick lunches between classes/work in college. I convinced myself that they were healthier because they had nuts. However, I believe it was actually a habit that originated from frequently eating Tom’s (now Lance) version of the bars at lunch when I was in junior high.
Peanut brittle is really easy to make, especially if you have a candy thermometer on a day with low humidity.
Classic Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
- 3 c. granulated sugar
- 1 c. light corn (Karo) syrup
- 1/2 c. water
- 3 c. unsalted peanuts
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 tsp. baking soda
Instructions
- Prepare a large(i.e. half-sheet) baking sheet with a rim by lining with a silicon mat, spraying with non-stick spray, or lightly greasing with butter.
- Measure all of the ingredients you need before you start cooking the brittle.
- Combine sugar, syrup, and water in a large saucepan.
- Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. You can stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to boil.
- Using a candy/fry thermometer or an instant-read (caution: the molten hot syrup can create bad burns), cook until the mixture reaches the hard-all stage, 250 degrees F. Add peanuts to boiling sugar mixture.
- Cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches soft-crack to hard-crack (275 to 290 degrees F). Do not go above 290 degrees F.
- Remove from heat and mix in butter, salt, and vanilla to the sugar mixture. Finally, stir in the baking soda. It will react and foam as you stir.
- Pour mixture on the prepared large (i.e. half-sheet) rimmed baking pan and spread it to your preferred thickness. It is easier to spread with a wooden spoon coated with non-stick spray or by VERY carefully tilting the baking sheet SLIGHTLY.
- Cool on the baking sheet. Break apart either by tapping on the brittle with the hilt of a butter knife, mallet, etc., or snapping it with your hands.
- Once completely cooled, store in an air tight container.
