Peanut Brittle

PEANUT BRITTLE
When Chemistry Tastes Great!
John McEnelly

The owner of a local candy store gave this recipe to my mother with the stipulation she was to never pass it on to anyone else. I remember mom and her Methodist Guild spending one night a year preparing this candy for the annual Christmas Bazaar. They always sold out. The candy store no longer exists. Both Mom and the candy man have passed on. So I assume the promise is void. The brittle is great and easy to make; enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
½ cup white Karo syrup
1 cup Spanish peanuts (salted/roasted; NOT raw)
1 Tblsp real butter
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp real vanilla

Materials:
1 heavy 2qt sauce pan. Heavy holds heat longer and spreads heat evenly.
1 buttered cookie sheet. If non-stick, butter anyway.
2 strong wooden spoons.

Proceedure:
1. Place on a small 2x2 piece of wax paper or tinfoil;
Butter
Salt
Baking soda
2. Have ready the 1tsp vanilla
3. Have ready the buttered cookie sheet
4. Into the sauce pan, add the sugar and Karo syrup
5. Set the stove at medium high and mix with wooden spoon until the sugar is melted. Let it heat and boil, stirring intermittently to keep the sugars at an even heat.
6. If you have not done so, yet, measure out 1 cup of Spanish roasted peanuts, and have ready.
7. As it gets hotter, the sugar mixture will begin to darken. HERE IS WHERE YOUR JUDGEMENT COMES IN.
I take the pan off the heat just as the hot mixture turns a little darker than light honey color. More on this later.
Now, as John Wooden said, “Hurry, but don’t rush.” Mix in the contents on the wax paper or foil and the vanilla. Three things should happen; the mixture will bubble and froth … keep stirring … the color darkens … keep stirring … the vanilla gives off a great aroma … keep stirring … until the butter is melted.
Fold in the peanuts until fairly evenly dispersed.
Dump everything on the cookie sheet. Place pan aside or put under tap with a slow stream of hot water gradually filling it. Grab the second wooden spoon that has been buttered. Using the two spoons, mash and spread the hot mixture evenly over the whole sheet. The end result should be little thicker than the peanuts.
Transfer pan outside if it is cold and dry, or else the freezer or fridge will work. Break up once cooled.

Options:
1. The darker the brittle, the more burned and robust the taste. If you prefer it ‘milder’ than yours ended up, take the pan from the heat at a lighter color. The color I tried to describe should have no burned sugar taste. A couple of trial runs should result in consistent brittle cooked to your desire.
2. I far prefer cashews! I f you opt for cashew brittle, get the halves and pieces. They are cheaper and I still break them into smaller pieces.
3. Of course top drawer is macadamia brittle! No matter what, make sure your nuts are roasted and salted. This is one time when buying name brand really makes a difference.
4. Doubling does not hurt.
5. If making multiple batches, be sure and completely clean pan and utensils, or bad things happen. Just wiping of the cookie sheet and adding another coat of butter, if needed, is okay.


Some Chemistry

1. Change of state fore sucrose once it and the corn syrup reach 160 degrees C.
2. Oxidation/reduction reaction as the sucrose/fructose/glucose mixture approach caramelization. This is limited as most people find the burned taste distasteful.
3. NaHCO3 gives off CO2 as it is added to the very hot melted sugar. This gives brittle a more “brittle texture.” The amount used is important, for excessive levels of NaHCO3 result in very thick brittle not unlike cinder blocks.
4. The above are only three of a number of complex reactions resulting in this particular brittle’s texture and flavor.