Peanut brittle

[sweetana3]

Wow, I made peanut brittle for the first time ever last night. Took about 3X longer than the recipe said. Dangerous with all that boiling sugar. However, it sure tastes great. Could never have done it without the candy thermometer that I have carried around for over 30 years and never used. Not sure where it came from even.

Cost: $3 for a pound of peanuts, $1 for the corn syrup and sugar, small amount for butter, vanilla and baking soda.

Kind of wonder if I had stopped earlier at soft ball stage and then rolled the cooled stuff into balls or logs and dipped in chocolate, if it would have made another type of candy.

[CathyA]

That's neat, sweetana. I think yesterday, weather wise around you was good for making it. I made it a long time ago, but my teeth can't take it now. About your question about stopping sooner, it probably would have been the consistency of caramels if you'd stopped at the "firm" ball stage (244-245F). But that's just a guess. Do you have to stir it the entire time?

[sweetana3]

Had to stir the first half occasionally. Then when the peanuts and butter are added, it is stir constantly and watch for burning. Seemed to take 10-15 minutes or more of constant stirring to get from 240 to 300 degrees. It is a lot like English toffee right now. Not so hard that it hurts the teeth but breaks into pieces. Had to laugh at the concrete consistency of anything left on the pan, spoons and candy thermometer.

[frugalone]

I love peanut brittle but I'm afraid to eat it since I now have five dental crowns! I used to know a lady who made fantastic peanut brittle. I imagine it is tricky.

[CathyA]

LOL Frugalone.......I have about 14 crowns! .....and they're all just waiting to be free, with stuff like peanut brittle. I can eat caramels very slowly, if I let them melt first in my mouth.

[beckyliz]

I have a microwave recipe that works really well (makes smaller batches). I like it because I don't have to stand over the boiling sugar for so long.

[sweetana3]

I did the microwave recipe a few years ago and the bottom broke out of my bowl. Thankfully, it was just above the counter and did not spatter on me. No way would i ever do it again. Too dangerous especially with a microwave over the stove.

[beckyliz]

I did the microwave recipe a few years ago and the bottom broke out of my bowl. Thankfully, it was just above the counter and did not spatter on me. No way would i ever do it again. Too dangerous especially with a microwave over the stove.

Yikes!