Peanut Brittle

This recipe wasn't bad, it just wasn't any different from the other brittle recipe I have. I have a lot of these recipes, so until one significantly outshines my Buttery Cashew Brittle, I will have to discard them. The one difference in this recipe was that it called for a skillet specifically. Also, it called for a 290 degree hard crack, my thermometer says 300 degrees for hard crack. I used salted cocktail peanuts, so I left off the salt and watched to make sure they didn't burn since they were already cooked. I think it might have tasted a bit better if I had added a bit of salt. I used a buttered baking sheet instead of "platters" and didn't need to blanch my peanuts as they were already cooked. Also, I accidentally added more corn syrup, having misread my notes!! Perhaps that affected the taste, I don't know!!

Peanut Brittle

2 c. sugar
1 c. corn syrup
1 c. water
2 c. unroasted peanuts, blanched
1/4 t. salt
1 t. butter
1/4 t. baking soda

1. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy skillet. Cook slowly until sugar dissolves.
2. Cook to 238ºF (soft ball).
3. Add blanched peanuts and salt. Cook to 290ºF (hard ball) stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and add butter and baking soda.
5. Pour on greased platters, lifting occasionally to keep from sticking.

Note: To blanch peanuts, cover with boiling water for 3 minutes, then run under cold water.

Blonde Peanut Brittle

After my Cashew Brittle experience last week, I decided to try a "quick" peanut brittle recipe. This one does not require that you check the candy thermometer, but I did because I suspected the candy was not ready after 20 minutes, it wasn't!! I ended up cooking this for about a half-hour. I had trouble getting the peanuts evenly distributed in the candy, as you can see in the picture. The recipe had me put a lot of butter on the cookie sheet, which was also different, and there was no butter in the actual recipe. This affected the flavor, I much preferred the brittle part of the Cashew Brittle recipe, so this is not a keeper recipe for me. I will give some back to my parents to replace the See's brittle that I mooched the last time I was at their house!!

Blonde Peanut Brittle

2 c. (10 oz.) salted peanuts
2 T butter
2 c. sugar
1 c. water
3/4 c. light corn syrup
1/2 t. salt
1 t. baking soda

1. Grease a large cookie sheet with the butter.
2. In a heavy 10-inch skillet, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup. Stir to mix.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat just enough to keep mixture from boiling over. Allow mixture to boil rapidly for 20 minutes or until syrup turns very light tan. Do not over-brown.
4. Remove from heat. Quickly stir in peanuts, salt, and baking soda.
5. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Cool. Break into pieces. Store airtight.

Buttery Cashew Brittle

Yummy!! I got the craving for peanut brittle when I saw a box of See's peanut brittle at my parent's house. Of course I ate the rest of the box, hoping that my parents didn't miss it. So, when I was going through my candy recipes the other day I thought I should try this recipe. I had some cashews that I needed to use up, and the weather was clear, so I decided to try making brittle for the first time this morning.

This is a keeper, for sure. I will watch the nuts better after I add them so they don't burn. I used roasted salted cashews, even though the recipe called for raw. I made sure that most of the coating was removed, and I split the cashews in half. I ate all of it for lunch!! Now, I am off to the gym ...

Buttery Cashew Brittle

2 c. sugar
1 c. light-colored corn syrup
1/2 c. water
1 c. butter
3 c. (about 12 oz.) raw cashews
1 t. baking soda, sifted

1. In a 3-quart saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring syrup to boiling. Add butter and stir until butter is melted. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring occasionally, until thermometer registers 280ºF (about 35 minutes). This is the soft-crack stage.
2. Stir in the nuts and continue cooking over medium-low heat stirring frequently until thermometer registers 300ºF (10 to 15 minutes more). This is the hard-crack stage.
3. Remove mixture from heat. Remove thermometer. Quickly stir in the baking soda, mixing thoroughly. Pour mixture onto two buttered baking sheets or 15" x 10" x 1" baking pans.
4. As the cashew brittle cools, stretch it out by lifting and pulling with two forks from edges. Loosen from pans as soon as possible. Pick up sections and break them into bit-sized pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes about 2 1/2 pounds (72 servings).