Peanut brittle is a classic candy that’s perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth. It’s made with just a few simple ingredients and can be easily made at home. In this guide, we’ll explore two different peanut brittle recipes, one from PBS Food and another from SugarSpunRun, to help you choose the perfect recipe for your needs.
Why Baking Soda is Important in Peanut Brittle
Baking soda plays a crucial role in creating the perfect texture and flavor in peanut brittle. When baking soda is added to the hot sugar mixture, it reacts to the heat and creates carbon dioxide. This aerates the caramel, making it lighter and airier. This aeration also contributes to the brittle’s snappy texture, making it easier to break apart and enjoy. Additionally, baking soda helps neutralize the acidity of the sugar, resulting in a more balanced and pleasant flavor.
Two Delicious Peanut Brittle Recipes
1. PBS Food’s Simple Peanut Brittle Recipe:
This recipe is a great option for those who prefer a simpler approach to candy making. It doesn’t require a candy thermometer and uses honey instead of corn syrup, making it a more natural option. The recipe also emphasizes the importance of leaving the brittle to cool completely for a week to achieve the desired delicate and brittle texture.
2. SugarSpunRun’s Peanut Brittle Recipe:
This recipe is a bit more involved than the PBS Food recipe, but it also offers more detailed instructions and tips for achieving perfect results. The recipe uses a candy thermometer to ensure precise temperature control, which is crucial for successful candy making. It also includes a helpful video tutorial that demonstrates the entire process step-by-step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why do you put baking soda in peanut brittle?
A: Baking soda creates carbon dioxide that aerates the caramel, making it lighter and airier. This aeration also contributes to the brittle’s snappy texture and helps neutralize the acidity of the sugar, resulting in a more balanced flavor.
Q: How long will homemade peanut brittle last?
A: Peanut brittle can be stored for up to 2 months in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It’s important to keep the pieces separated with wax paper or parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.
Q: How do I clean a candied pot?
A: Don’t run the pot under cold water while it’s still hot to avoid warping. Instead, let the pot cool, fill it with water, and bring it to a boil. The caramel will soften, allowing you to scrape it off with a heatproof spatula. Pour the water down the drain and clean the pot with soap and water once it has cooled completely.
Peanut brittle is a delicious and easy-to-make treat that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you choose the simpler PBS Food recipe or the more detailed SugarSpunRun recipe, you’re sure to enjoy the sweet and snappy satisfaction of homemade peanut brittle. Remember to use baking soda for the best texture and flavor, and store your brittle properly to ensure it stays fresh and delicious.
An Easy Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe
The delightful, nostalgic candy known as peanut brittle has a snappy texture, a lovely snappy sweetness, and a reputation for sticking to your teeth. There are salted peanuts strewn throughout for a fun bite and nutty flavor. This candy is sure to please any fan of peanut candies!
Making candy might seem scary, but that’s only because most of us don’t do it very often. I understand that, which is why I stuck to thermometer-free candies for a while, like potato candy, but it’s actually not that hard to use a thermometer and switch to cooking on the stovetop. Use this recipe as a chance to get comfortable with the equipment and hone your process skills. I’m going to give you my best advice today so you can get started!
Before we get started, let me just say that this recipe is best made on a dry, low-humidity day (winter is a great time to start practicing!). We want our candies to be hard and brittle—hence the name—and any moisture in the air could be reabsorbed into them and make them softer. Additionally, humidity slows down the cooling process while your candy sets, which raises the possibility that unintended crystals will form. Therefore, it would be wise to check the weather forecast before setting out!
Just like with my toffee recipe, it is crucial to arrange all of your ingredients in a straight line before beginning. As soon as your mixture reaches 305°F, you must act fast! Here’s what you need:
- Butter. Since we’re using salted peanuts and adding salt ourselves, use unsalted butter, and make sure it’s softened.
- Baking soda. I go into more detail about this below, but in short, any good peanut brittle recipe needs baking soda to get the right texture and flavor. Make sure you’re not using baking powder!.
- Peanuts. Use shelled, dry roasted peanuts and make sure they’re salted. This contributes to the lovely salty and sweet flavor of our brittle!
- Light corn syrup. Use the light version here and save the dark for pecan pie. This is a key ingredient in many candies (like my homemade caramels), and it’s NOT the same as high fructose corn syrup!
SAM’S TIP: I strongly recommend using a candy thermometer for this recipe. While there are certainly ways to make candy without one, using a thermometer saves you guesswork and frustration.
Recall that this is only a summary of the components I used and my rationale. Please read all the way to the bottom of the post for the recipe!