Monday, December 19, 2011

Peanut Brittle



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It took two attempts, but I finally got this lovely recipe right. While it didn't burn first time through, I was distracted and let the brittle get ahead of me. It turned a dark and unappealing color that looked burned and would prevent folks from trying it, despite its lovely taste. Rather than waste the batch, I put it into the blender and made a praline-type powder to use for flavoring and decorating other pastries.Then I took the phone off the hook and set to work again. The Silver Fox loves brittle, and when I saw the candy Dave and Sarah Eickelberg made using a treasured family recipe, I was determined to duplicate their results. They have a step by step tutorial that will make easy work of this, should you decide to give their recipe a try. The tutorial can be found here and I'm happy to report that second time through was a charm. This is a lovely brittle and candy lovers will be delighted with the results. You will, however, need a candy thermometer to make this properly. I used salted peanuts, so I ended up with a sweet and salty combination that is almost irresistible. Those of you who love sweet things will love this recipe. Here's how the brittle is made.


Peanut Brittle
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Dave and Sarah Eickelberg

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup (i.e.Karo)
1/2 cup water
2 sticks (1 cup) of butter
3 cups roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1) Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a 3 quart saucepan. Cook and stir on medium to medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. When syrup begins to boil, blend in butter.
2) Stir frequently after mixture reaches the syrup stage (230 degrees F).
3) Add nuts when temperature reaches soft-crack stage (280 degrees F).
4) Stir constantly until temperature reaches hard-crack stage (305 degrees F).
5) Remove pan from heat. Quickly stir in baking soda and vanilla, mixing thoroughly. Pour onto two cookie sheets, sprayed with cooking spray. Stretch mixture evenly across pan using the back of a metal spoon, sprayed with cooking spray.
6) After brittle cools (30-45 minutes), remove from pan and break into pieces.








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44 comments :

Katarina said...

This sounds so delicious!

Nisha said...

Aha, these are great to munch on! Especially for those born with a sweet tooth like me :D

Diane said...

This really looks appetising buy not sure I can get corn syrup here :( Diane

easyfoodsmith said...

This is loved by every one at my home. They are so addictive! I have never tried them at home though and your recipe looks very promising. Thanks for sharing

Deb in Hawaii said...

I have not had peanut brittle in ages--my mom used to make it for my dad. This one looks just like the one she used to make. ;-)

Elin said...

Mary...this is great snacking..thanks for the recipe :) Wishing you and family " Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year " :)

sangeeta said...

Loved this version of peanut brittle. Another one made with jaggery is a fave and i just end up being addicted to it all winter.

Alicia Foodycat said...

This looks gorgeous. I bet you will get loads of use out of the praline powder, too!

Lynn said...

That looks great Mary! I've made toffee, but never brittle:@)

Ana Rita Marreiros said...

Mary,
That is just yummmyyyyy.....

Kisses,
Rita

That Girl said...

I love the idea of the praline powder! I would probably have just thrown the browner brittle in an ice cream.

Big Dude said...

I love homemade brittle but haven't made it in years. Yours looks very good.

Rita said...

I have always my peanut brittle in the microwave, but your looks so perfect; a must try.
Rita

Priya Suresh said...

Super delicious brittles,yumm!

Unknown said...

I've only made peanut brittle once and that was in a high school science experiment! lol It didn't turn out so good!
Your brittle looks perfect, Mary!

Kim said...

My family love brittle... If I have free time, I shall give this a try!

Victor said...

I never had a chance of making a brittle. Looks so simple to make. Thanks for sharing. Happy holidays, Mary.

kitchen flavours said...

Love peanut brittle! Made them once and now looking at yours, would really love to munch on some right now! :)
Have a lovely day!

SLMPetersen said...

Stopping by to return the visit...going to be checking out some of your recipes for future meals!

Lenia said...

It sounds appetising!Kisses,dear Mary!

Lori said...

I love peanut brittle! It looks so good Mary!

Sue/the view from great island said...

This looks perfect, Mary. The sweet salt combination is completely addicting, I would have to give most of this away!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Peanut brittle has always been my dads favourite!!!!

claire said...

this is perfect for the holiday! thanks for sharing and what a pretty picture!

David said...

Mary, That is some really great looking peanut brittle! Between my wife and I, it would last about 20 minutes in our house... Thanks for the recipe! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Jo-Lyn's Cup Cakes N' Candies said...

The Amish in our area make a Cashew Brittle that is TO.DIE.FOR. it is so GOOD!! this sounds yummy!!

Dining Alone said...

I have never tried my hand at candy making, but I love brittle so much!

Sabienne said...

I've made that too, it's absolutely super, great and fantastic. Really awesome, perfect christmas candy! Merry Christmas:-)

Becky said...

We had a tradition of going sledding near my aunt's house sometime before Christmas. My mom and my aunt would make peanut brittle, divinity, and fudge while we kids were all outside. I still make their peanut brittle. The differences between your recipe and mine is that I always use Spanish peanuts which have a lovely red skin that gives a wonderful color to the brittle part. I also use only 2T of butter (recipe says 2t!). I make tons of it to give away at Christmas time, and people look forward to it. They say it does not get stuck in their teeth like most brittle does.

Jessica | Cajunlicious said...

Delicious, I can't resist peanut brittle!

tspegar said...

mary,

i just wanted to thank you for stopping by my blog and for your sweet comment. glad to have found you as well :) peanut brittle makes me think of my grandfather at Christmas... thank you.

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

Looks fantastic! Remember back when the idea of salt was a strange thought when it came to sweets, and now we can't resist that salty sweet combo?

Sushma Mallya said...

Perfectly done mary,looks so good...

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

Oh my, Mary, this sounds wonderful for gifting!! Merry Christmas!!

Caroline Taylor said...

This looks lovely. I like peanut brittle but have never thought to make it myself!

Kim, USA said...

I love peanut brittle. Want to make this and munch it while watching my favorite tv shows. Happy Monday Mary!

MYM & BM

Anna's kitchen table said...

I love sweet and salty combo!! It looks so good.

Anonymous said...

I love anything and everything sweet so yup, I would love this! We buy See's Candies peanut brittle every Christmas, but I think your homemade brittle would put up some tough competition. :)

Arlene Delloro said...

Oooh! I'd love a big handful right now. It looks wonderful!

GLENDA CHILDERS said...

Love your creative idea of throwing the tasty but dark brittle in the food processor and using it for other things. Smart.

Fondly,
Glenda

Mickey said...

Yours looks perfect. I can not make it for the life of me. I guess I could give it at least one last try :)
mickey

Taylor said...

This looks delicious!! The theme for this week's Merry Monday is candy, and I'd love if you stopped on by and shared this brittle!

Joanne said...

Peanut brittle is one of those things that I probably SHOULDN'T learn how to make, for my waistline's sake...but I SO want to!

Sharon Koenig said...

I love peanut brittle! I used to make it a ton when I was younger!

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