I love brittles, all brittles: peanut, cashew, Brazil nut, macadamia. This recipe makes a light porous brittle. Some recipes are a little too firm in my opinion. This one reminds me of a candy I remember from childhood called honeycomb. If anyone still makes it, I would love to hear about it.
When my mom used to make peanut brittle, there weren’t any home candy thermometers, so plates with water to confirm ‘firm set’ were kept handy and a bowl with ice water in case of accidents. This is nothing like that since you get to use the microwave. Hooray for the microwave. This comes together so quickly. The fragrance that takes over the house is intoxicating.
It’s the perfect holiday hostess type gift. It packs up beautifully in cellophane bags with a jaunty Christmas ribbon. The other bonus is storage at room temperature. I don’t know about you but I’m starting to run out of freezer space already. This will last the season at room temperature unless you have a son who is very involved in sports and could eat the whole batch with maybe a little help from his teammates.
I always think of brittles as an old-fashioned candy. So again for nostalgia’s sake, give peanut brittle a try. You’ll be glad you did.
1 cup sugar
½ cup corn syrup
Combine in an 8 cup Pyrex measuring cup and microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes depending on your microwave power. Add:
1 cup peanuts
Stir and microwave 3 to 4 more minutes until browned, but not too brown. I think this brittle pictured went a bit too far. I like it more the color of a golden retriever.
Add:
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
Blend well and cook 90 seconds additional. Peanuts will be light brown and syrup very hot!
Add:
1 teaspoon baking soda
Stir gently until light and foamy. Pour onto a greased sheet. When cool, break into smaller pieces.
* From the Recipe Box:
I like it even better when made with cashews. If using peanuts, I usually use the larger Virginia peanuts.
This was a favorite of Nate.
Be very careful when cooking. The syrup is dangerously hot! I never make this with little helpers. Don’t let it get too brown or it will have a burnt taste.
and remember: Do your thing. Do it unapologetically. Don’t be discouraged by criticism. You probably already know what they’re going to say, Pay no mind to the fear of failure. It’s far more valuable than success. Take ownership, take chances, and have fun. And no matter what, don’t ever stop doing you thing. Big kiss, Lynn
From the Recipe Box 