Georgia Pig Peanut Brittle
You haven't had peanut brittle quite like this!
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I’m sure you’ve had peanut brittle before, but you probably haven’t had peanut brittle quite like this. Instead of the one-note (but delicious) brittle crack, Georgia Pig Peanut Brittle has an airier honeycomb crunch that makes it incredibly difficult to step away from. It’s crisp but light, sweet but salty, and even if you don’t have much experience in homemade candy making, this is one you can easily handle (and you’ll be so glad you did).
You’ll need a candy thermometer to make this, but all you’re doing is watching the temperature – you don’t need to look for thread or softball stages or anything like that. You start by boiling some corn syrup, sugar, and water until it reaches 275°F before stirring in some toasted peanuts.
Once you hit 300°F, you remove your pan from the heat and quickly stir in some melted butter and baking soda. This is where the magic happens. You want to stir for just a few seconds until the mixture is foamy and has risen almost to the top of the pan. You pour out the mixture while it’s still foamy and that’s what creates that lovely honeycomb texture.
It sets up in just about thirty minutes or so and all that’s left to do is break it apart and start snacking. Be forewarned though, once you start snacking on this, it’s pretty hard to stop!
Georgia Pig Peanut Brittle
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil, as needed
- 3 1/2 cups salted peanuts
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon butter, plus more for pan
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 200°F.
- Place a 3-feet length of aluminum foil on a counter or work surface near the stovetop, shiny side up. Using a paper towel, grease foil liberally with vegetable oil.
- Grease the sides of a 6-quart saucepan with butter and set aside.
- Arrange peanuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and place in the oven.
- Meanwhile, add sugar, corn syrup, and water to the buttered saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon until sugar has dissolved and mixture comes to a boil.
- Place a candy thermometer in the pan and let mixture boil over medium heat without stirring until temperature reads 275°.
- Melt the tablespoon of butter in the microwave or a separate saucepan and set aside.
- Once thermometer reads 275°, add the warmed peanuts to the mixture and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until temperature reaches 300°. The mixture will start to darken, but if it starts to smell burnt, just lift pan off the heat and stir to cool it a bit.
- Working very quickly, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the melted butter and baking soda. Stir quickly for just 2-3 seconds until mixture becomes pale and foamy. It should rise to the top of the pan. Don't wait for the foam to settle!
- Pour foamy mixture onto the aluminum foil, but do not smooth it out or you will lose the honeycomb texture.
- Let sit until cool and crisp, about 30 minutes. Once cool, use a wide metal spatula to turn the brittle over. Blot any moisture with a paper towel.
- Break brittle into pieces and enjoy!
From Maida Heatter’s Best Dessert Book Ever.
