Peanut Brittle
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Butter for greasing pan
- 2cups sugar
- 2cups roasted peanuts, salted or unsalted, or other nuts
- Salt, if using unsalted peanuts (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
273 calories; 13 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 34 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 136 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Use a bit of butter to grease a baking sheet, preferably one with a low rim. Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a heavy skillet and turn heat to medium. Stir until smooth, then cook, adjusting heat so that mixture bubbles steadily. Stir occasionally until mixture turns golden brown (which it may do rather suddenly).
- Step 2
Stir in the peanuts and a large pinch of salt, if desired. Pour mixture onto greased baking sheet and spread out. Cool for about a half-hour, then break into pieces. (You can score brittle with a knife when it has solidified slightly but not yet turned hard; that way, it will break into even squares.) Store in a covered container for up to two weeks.
Private Notes
Comments
Family recipe: Preheat buttered rimmed cookie sheet at 225. In 10-inch cast iron skillet heat 1.5 c sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup medium-high. As soon as sugar dissolves add 1 lb RAW Spanish peanuts and 0.5 tsp salt. Cook, stirring until amber. Off heat, then add 2 Tbsp butter. Take cookie sheet out of oven. Thoroughly mix one heaping tsp baking soda into syrup. Pour onto cookie sheet.
Peanuts roast in the sugar, baking soda makes it non-stick-in-your-teeth crunchy.
I agree! How is 2 tablespoons even close to being enough? I compared it to other recipes that called for 1 1/2 CUPS of water...
I used this recipe as a base but added 2 TB butter and 1/2 tsp baking soda off the heat after the sugar reached hard crack stage, but before adding the nuts.
I poured the whole thing onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Came out perfectly! As a first time candy maker I was really pleased.
Definitely use Maxs recipe. Reposting his recipe below. Family recipe: Preheat buttered rimmed cookie sheet at 225. In 10-inch cast iron skillet heat 1.5 c sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup medium-high. As soon as sugar dissolves add 1 lb RAW Spanish peanuts and 0.5 tsp salt. Cook, stirring until amber. Off heat, then add 2 Tbsp butter. Take cookie sheet out of oven. Thoroughly mix one heaping tsp baking soda into syrup. Pour onto cookie sheet. Peanuts roast in the sugar, baking soda makes it non-s
This is the GBBO technical challenge version of this recipe. It's very good but only if you know what you're doing. Some tips: use a silpat instead of a greased baking sheet, once sugar and water are combined, don't touch until it's at least half liquid, and for god's sake use a candy thermometer! You're looking for the "hard crack" temperature of around 300-310 F. I also prefer to put the peanuts down on the silpat and poor the melted sugar over top, you'll get more even coverage.
I’ve made peanut brittle before using various recipes, some very similar to the ones posted here. Like a few others I thought two tablespoons of water wasn’t enough, but I stayed faithful to Mark Bittman’s version—he’s never been wrong before. Yes, it took some stirring and some time but like magic it turned to molten sugar and developed a beautiful golden color. It was the best peanut brittle I’ve ever had. Not only delicious but it looks like stained glass. It’s a gorgeous presentation for a simple candy. My only suggestion is about clean-up. While the brittle is cooling fill your sticky skillet with water and boil it with the spoon and whatever else got coated. A few minutes later all the hardened sugar is dissolved.