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Peanut Brittle

Source of Recipe

Martha Stewart


Recipe Introduction

MAKES 2 POUNDS

List of Ingredients

3 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
4 1/2 cups salted, fresh roasted peanuts (about 1 pound, 7 ounces), skinned
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
Nonstick vegetable oil spray


Recipe

1. Coat two 12-by-17-inch baking sheets with vegetable spray.

2. In a heavy 5-quart saucepan with lid, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water. Cover pot, and bring to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes. Dissolve sugar by carefully swirling pot often over burner. Keeping lid on will prevent sugar crystals from forming; however, should crystals form, wash down sides of pot with a wet pastry brush.

3. Once steam just begins to escape from pot, remove cover and reduce heat to medium. Insert candy thermometer, and continue to boil until temperature reaches 230° (thread stage), about 1 minute.

4. Add peanuts, stirring constantly with a metal spoon until mixture reaches 300° (hard crack stage) and is a rich golden brown, 13 to 18 minutes.

5. Immediately remove from heat, and quickly add butter, vanilla, and baking soda. Stir with a metal spoon until butter melts; mixture will become foamy. Pour half of mixture down center of each pan, spreading evenly with a spatula. Allow to cool for at least 1 hour.

6. Turn brittle out of pan, and snap it into shards. Store in an airtight container for several weeks.