Peanut Brittle

What do you do when you're bored and realize you have sugar, water, corn syrup, salt, peanuts, butter, and baking soda?



Make peanut brittle. Turns out making candy is fun and easy if you have a candy thermometer. My camera's battery is running low so I couldn't do a step-by-step, but I think I'm going to start making a lot more candy for special occassions. My only problem with this recipe was that I used a huge baking sheet and the brittle still came out too thick. They should warn you to use two baking sheets (mine was a half sheet, like a big birthday cake from Safeway. I think it's 12x18").

First timer tips:

• I used my cast iron skillet to heat the liquid and it worked well
• Keep an eye on it after the liquid reaches 200 degrees. Before that, all you have to do is stir once in awhile.
• After you add the baking soda, don't stir any more than necessary. You want to keep as many bubbles in the brittle as possible to keep the brittle from being too hard and chewy.
• After this point, you'll want to start working really quickly.
• Butter your baking sheets well, especially the centers.
• Spread the brittle out as thinly as possible by moving your baking pan back and forth. Smooshing it around with a spatula will give you a harder candy.
• I would use two sheets next time, and not worry whether the brittle reaches all edges of the sheets. After all, you're going to break it into pieces.
• If the center of your brittle sticks like mine did, turn your sheet out and give the center a good bang with your fist. The brittle popped right out.

I got my recipe of Recipezaar, but if anyone has a better recipe please do share! I'm trying to recreate See's Candy peanut brittle. Mine didn't seem crispy, salty, or buttery enough. Still, I think my friends are going to like having some extra sugar around.