I love this time of the year when I am trying out classic recipes to enjoy with family and friends. There is nothing like holidays when your house smells of butter and caramel. My house of smelling like caramel heaven when I was making this Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle. You don’t have to wait for holidays to make these delicious Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle. You can make them year around and enjoy them. I love to make these Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle this time of the year as they work great as edible gifts. Pack them in cute little metal containers and distribute them to your neighbors and co-workers so they too can enjoy these classic traditional Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle. I have made quite a few different kinds of brittle in the past like this 4 Ingredients Peanut Sesame and Ginger Brittle and Mixed nut Brittle. All these recipes involve some kind of caramel and are slightly different from each other in flavor and the way you make them. I loved this Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle, as it reminded me of the fairs and street food. The butter and the caramel just are so addictive that you can’t stop with just one piece. Like with any caramel and sugar syrup, watching for the correct stage is important. The brittle will be too chewy if taken out even a minute early or as hard as a rock if taken a minute late.
Do we need a Candy Thermometer?
I really wanted to make this Peanut Brittle using the help of a candy thermometer, but just when I was getting ready to make the brittle, I realized that my thermometer broke during our move and I never replaced it. It was a little scary to start making the brittle without the thermometer, but I was set on making them yesterday and I did not want to postpone it. Thus began my process without the thermometer. The end stage was pretty obvious though. The mixture was bubbling like crazy and was a beautiful caramel color. Also, it was thickened to the extent that it started to leave the sides of the pan. That is when I knew it was the right stage and it worked. So, don’t give yourself the excuse of not having a candy thermometer to make these Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle. They are too delicious to pass for that reason. Preparation time - 5 minutesCooking time - 30 minutes plus about an hour of cooling timeDifficulty level - Intermediate
Procedure to make Old Fashioned Peanut Brittle -
Grease a baking tray (10 x 13) with butter.
Measure the peanuts in a bowl and keep it ready. Also, measure the butter and vanilla in a small bowl and the baking soda in another small bowl and keep it ready near the cooking surface. We will be using it really quickly once the sugar syrup reaches the right consistency and hence it is important that we have everything measured and ready to add.
Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy-bottom pan.
Heat it in medium flame until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to boil.
Keep boiling the sugar until it starts to thicken.
Once the syrup reaches a softball stage, add the peanuts. I made the brittle without the candy thermometer. The soft ball stage is when you drop some syrup into a bowl of cold water and you can gather the syrup as a soft and squishy ball. The syrup should be able to hold its shape and not melt when dropped in water. If using a candy thermometer, it will be around 235 F.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and keep stirring the mixture until it starts to thicken further and the syrup changes to light golden color. If using a candy thermometer, it should reach a hard crack stage (about 305 to 310 F).
Turn off the flame and quickly add the butter, vanilla, and baking soda. Stir well for the butter to melt and you will notice that the mixture will start to foam up.
Once the mixture foams up evenly and the butter has melted, quickly pour it onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it as thin as possible. Use a fork to separate and spread if the mixture is too thick. All this has to be done very quickly.
Let the brittle cool down completely (at least an hour) and then break it into pieces and enjoy. Store them in an airtight container after they have cooled down completely.
More Peanut Recipes
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